<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship provides funding support to National Federation of the Blind members who want to attend a <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>national convention<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> for the first time.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Eligibility<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an in-person NFB National Convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>How to Apply<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Starting January 1, 2023, apply online using the <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship online application form.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>https://nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The deadline to submit is April 15, 2023.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The application will ask for the following information:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>list of 11 items<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Contact information: Include your full name and both your primary phone where you can be contacted by your state president and your mobile phone you<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>might use at convention, if available.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Please include your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address. If you don’t have an email address, please consider if there is a friend<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>or chapter member who might be able to assist with email correspondence.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• State Affiliate/chapter information: Include your state affiliate, your state president, chapter, and chapter president, if you attend a chapter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Mentor information: Include your personal convention mentor and provide that person’s phone number.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Funding request: Include your specific request and explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Essay questions to explain why this is a good investment for the NFB: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• How do you currently participate in the Federation?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Why do you want to attend a national convention?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• What would you receive?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• What can you share or give?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Any special circumstances you hope the committee will take into consideration.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>list end<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you cannot apply online, you can still apply by writing a letter to your state affiliate president answering the above questions. This letter should<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>be emailed to your state affiliate president. Once you have decided you will apply, please contact your state president in person or by phone to request<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the state affiliate president when to expect that your application will be submitted and mention<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>the deadline.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Once your online application has been submitted, your application will be provided to your state president via email. It is still your responsibility to<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>contact your affiliate president. He or she must email a president’s recommendation directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>at <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>kjscholarships@nfb.org.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your president must email the recommendation no later than the deadline of April 15, 2023. If you have applied outside of the online form, the state affiliate<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>president must email both the recommendation and the application letter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Notification of Award<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The committee<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>makes every effort to notify winners by May 15, but you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>list of 3 items<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for roommates of your<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>own to reduce the cost.)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by May 31.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and mentor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>list end<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a scholarship this year.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Receiving the Award<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>At the convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>be listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a scholarship, and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or credit card.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Award Details<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB National Convention are the round-trip transportation, the hotel room for a week,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an individual is<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won’t pay all the costs. Most years the grants have been $600 per individual. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share money-saving<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing experience that is<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>convention week.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>More Information<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For additional information, please contact the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee, Tracy Soforenko, at <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>kjscholarships@nfb.org<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> or 410-659-9314, extension 2020.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>