[NFBofSC] Positive Note 2065

Sun Mar 8 19:13:02 UTC 2026

March 8, 2026

Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents &
Others

From:  Marty R. McKenzie, President

843-939-8091   <mailto:president at nfbofsc.org> president at nfbofsc.org

Positive Note: 2064

Dear Federation Family,

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, the Annual Spring Procedures for Teachers of the
Visually Impaired was held at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia, South
Carolina. Successful Transitions employees were present to interact with the
TVIs in attendance and gain valuable professional information. Jodi Floyd
serves as the Lead Teacher for Statewide Blind and Low Vision Education and
presented information on the importance of and methods for conducting access
technology assessments for academic blind and low vision students. Her tips
and tricks are legendary! Then, Dr. Tina Herzberg from the University of
South Carolina Upstate and Sara Larkin, math consultant from Iowa, presented
on digital math in the afternoon session. Attendees left with a lot of new
information that will assist them in their daily work.

The Annual Vision Summit sponsored by the South Carolina Vision Education
Partnership was held on Friday, March 6, 2026, in the same location. Again,
Successful Transitions showed up and showed out supporting this event and
gaining valuable information to assist them in their work. Additionally,
Commissioner Darline Graham and approximately fifteen of her staff were also
present for this event. Deputy Commissioner Luis Mendoza gave the update for
the agency. I presented information on behalf of the South Carolina School
for the Deaf and the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina. Each of the other partners presented their slides which makes it
much more interesting for the audience. I presented the keynote address
titled "The Impact of Technology on Independent Living - We Can Live the
Lives We Want." This keynote highlighted my 33 years in the field of blind
and low vision education and access technology growth that has taken place.
I also shared a portion of my personal story and the impact of access
technology on my life. The afternoon was filled with additional information
from Dr. Herzberg on digital math which attendees enjoyed. Dan Publicover
from the SC Department of Education's Office of Assessment and Standards
provided a presentation on accommodations for statewide assessments. He
provided specific guidance on what accommodations are available and how to
document them in the IEP. It was an excellent Vision Summit at which the
partners all supported the program admirably.

The March edition of the Braille Monitor is out and it is packed with timely
and very important information as well as some uplifting stories. Here is a
sample of what it contains.

*	Cold Weather and Common Sense: The 2026 Washington Seminar
*	The Significance of Washington Seminar 2026
*	Adventure in Annapolis
*	National Federation of the Blind and Blind Entrepreneurs File
Federal Lawsuit Challenging Army-Wide Waiver of Randolph-Sheppard Act
*	But I Don't Know How to Dance
*	Filling in the Gap
*	Divorce Me

AI continues to evolve and fascinate many of us who are blind or have low
vision. Often, I use it to get instructions about random things. Today, the
prompt was something like, "I am on AT&T wireless and need to change the
number of rings before a call rolls to voicemail. Provide step-by-step
instructions on what I can do to accomplish this." This prompt will work in
most AI chatbots.

Statewide Leadership Seminar

The Statewide Leadership Seminar takes place on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at
the Federation Center of the Blind beginning at 10:00 a.m. This day is set
aside for National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina Board Members,
chapter and division presidents, and boards. We are especially pleased to
welcome Past Presidents Parnell Diggs and Frank Coppel, if they are
available. Please let David Houck know by close of business on Monday, March
24, 2026, how many will attend from your chapter, including drivers who will
remain for the day. This allows for adequate food purchase and preparation.

SUN Shares pledges from the Statewide Seminar are due by March 31, 2026. If
you have not taken care of this, please do so. We will mail the final check
to the National Office shortly after March 31, 2026. Thank you for your
generosity!

Summer Internship Opportunity:

The National Federation of the Blind 2026 Summer Internship Program offers a
unique opportunity to make an impact while gaining professional experience.
Interns work on projects that advance innovation and raise expectations for
blind people nationwide.

This paid, ten-week internship runs from June 1-August 7, 2026, at NFB
headquarters in Baltimore and includes participation in the NFB National
Convention in Austin, Texas. Apply by March 14 to help shape the future and
strengthen your leadership skills. The application can be found at
https://nfb.org/programs-services/employment/summer-internship-program.

The National Federation of the Blind National Convention will be held July
3-8, 2026, in Austin, Texas, at the JW Marriott and the Austin Marriott
Downtown overflow hotel. Room rates are $139 per night for single or double
occupancy and $155 for triple or quad occupancy, plus 19% in taxes and fees.
The first night's room charge is due at the time of booking. To reserve a
room, call 800-627-7468 and use room block BL1. Cancellations made by May
31, 2026, will receive a 50% deposit refund; no refunds are available after
that date.

National Convention Registration Now Open

Early bird registration for the National Convention is now open. Go to
<https://www.nfb.org/convention> https://www.nfb.org/convention to register.
The cost is $25 and banquet tickets are $85 for those who plan to attend the
banquet.

The Kenneth Jernigan Scholarships support active blind and sighted
first-time attendees at the National Convention. Applications are due by
March 31, 2026, and applicants must meet with President Marty McKenzie for a
letter of support. In recent years, individual awards have been $700 and
family awards $1,100; these do not cover all expenses. Recipients receive a
prepaid Visa card after arriving at the hotel at a specified time and
location. The online application must be completed in one session, so
applicants are encouraged to prepare responses in Microsoft Word and copy
and paste them. Those who are not comfortable using a computer are
encouraged to seek assistance from a friend. The online application can be
found at
https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-convention
-scholarship.

Things to Remember

*	Summer Internship Opportunity due by March 14, 2026
*	NFB of SC Statewide Leadership Seminar on March 28, 2026
*	National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Applications due by
March 31, 2026
*	Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Applications due by March
31, 2026
*	SUN Shares pledges due by March 31, 2026
*	National Convention hotel reservations due by May 31, 2026

Marty

Marty R. McKenzie, President

National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina

119 S. Kilbourne Road

Columbia, SC 29205

Phone: 803-254-3777

Mobile: 843-939-8091

Website: www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org/>  

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