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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear NABS Members and Friends:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am writing on behalf of Darian Smith, a former officer and longtime leader of the National Association of Blind Students, who is working with our communications team to collect personal testimonies about the power and effectiveness of our NFB training centers in Colorado, Louisiana and Minnesota. We know that proper training in the skills of blindness is an essential tool for living the lives we want. Many students, however, are not yet familiar with our positive philosophy about blindness or the innovative method of training through which our centers instill a spirit of confidence, independence and self-determination in their students. Even if they know these life-changing centers exist, some students may be afraid to take that final plunge and move away from home for 6-9 months of intensive training. If you have received training at one of these centers, what would you say to such students? How has training empowered you to live the life you want in the classroom and beyond? How would you characterize your training experience? If you are a graduate of any of our training programs, I encourage you to read the below message from Darian, think about the above questions, and consider writing a brief testimonial about your personal training experience. Please contact Darian using the information in his message if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for your consideration.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yours in the movement,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chris Nusbaum, Board Member<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Association of Blind Students<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings NABS!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Are you a graduate of BLIND Inc., The Colorado Center for the Blind or the Louisiana Center for the Blind? Do you have a story to tell about how receiving quality training at one of these world-class adjustment to blindness training centers helped you raise your expectations, confidence and perceptions of blindness? Did receiving the training that you did truly allow you to live the life you want?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you answered “yes” to these questions, then the National Association of Blind Students wants and needs to hear from you!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We want to share with those who’ve thought about training, those who haven’t yet seriously considered training, and blindness professionals such as vocational rehabilitation counselors, the triumphs, challenges and transformation to independence that come from attending a training center.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We want to show that no matter where you are or where you want to be, what you know or what you want to know, the investment of time is well worth the payoff that comes once you complete the program.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you want to share with us your story so that it might be featured on the National association of Blind Students website please contact Darian Smith at:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <a href="mailto:dsmithnfb@gmail.com">dsmithnfb@gmail.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Thank you!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Yours in the movement,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Darian Smith<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>