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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-indent:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:36.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D;background:lime;mso-highlight:lime'>Please pass this announcement along to any blind or low vision high school students. This is a fantastic opportunity!</span></b><b><span style='font-size:36.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:white'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:0%'><span style='font-size:1.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=0 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#0075C9;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:11.25pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:356.25pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:26.25pt 11.25pt 26.25pt 11.25pt;height:356.25pt'><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:115%'><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0075C9'>Attention blind and low-vision students!</span></strong><o:p></o:p></h1><p>Are you or do you know a blind or low-vision teen who wants to spend their summer learning, meeting new people, and having a great adventure? Join the National Federation of the Blind at our NFB EQ program. NFB EQ is a jam-packed week of fun and learning.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Participants spend each day engaged in activities designed to strengthen their knowledge of engineering as well as their problem-solving abilities. In the evenings, participants hang out with the 29 other teen participants while exploring the local community and participating in various recreational activities. Throughout the week, participants will forge new friendships while increasing their engineering knowledge, problem-solving abilities, self-confidence, and independence.<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>To learn more and to apply, visit <a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10469&qid=2162084">http://www.blindscience.org/nfbeq</a>. </strong><o:p></o:p></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:115%'><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0075C9'>The Specs </span></strong><o:p></o:p></h2><p><strong>Who:</strong> 30 blind and low-vision teens currently enrolled in grades 9-12 in the United States.<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>What:</strong> A weeklong summer engineering program for blind and low-vision teens.<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>When:</strong> Participants will travel to Baltimore on July 29 and they will travel back home on August 4.<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>Where:</strong> The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>Why:</strong> To meet new people, learn new things, and have an exciting adventure!<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>How:</strong> <strong><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10469&qid=2162084">Apply Now!</a> Applications are due May 1, 2018.</strong><o:p></o:p></p><p><strong>How Much:</strong> There is no registration fee for this program. Visit our frequently asked questions web page for more details: <a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10470&qid=2162084">http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-eq-faq</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:115%'><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0075C9'>Additional Information</span></strong><o:p></o:p></h2><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>To be eligible to apply students must: be enrolled in grades 9-12 during the 2017-2018 school year in a school (public, private, charter, residential, or home school) in the United States, be blind or have low-vision, and be available to attend the entire program.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>Participant’s transportation to and from the program will be arranged by the National Federation of the Blind. Students will travel to Baltimore on Sunday and will travel home on the following Saturday.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>This is a residential program; students will stay in dormitories at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute and all meals will be provided.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>In the evenings, after the conclusion of the instructional day, students will be engaged in various social and recreational activities.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:115%'><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0075C9'>What are people saying about EQ?</span></strong><o:p></o:p></h2><p>“NFB EQ gave me more confidence to keep doing what I want—no one can stop me! The program opened my eyes to even more options in the field [of engineering] and it gave me some confidence that I can do some mechanical stuff that I didn’t think I could do before.” – Michael, Texas<o:p></o:p></p><p>“At the program, I learned that there is accessible equipment—I can use equipment that is close to what sighted people use, like Braille rulers and click rules. At school the tools for measuring in science aren’t always accessible to me.” – Lilly, Alaska<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I increased my drawing skills at NFB EQ. The tactile drawing board helped me, because I could feel what I drew. Visualizations also have gotten easier [going from drawing to model to prototype]. In engineering, you have to picture an idea in your mind and then draw it before you can build it. When you draw it, you can really see how it's going to come together.” – Trey, Kentucky<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I am amazed at how the people involved in organizing this program made everything so easy for us. From organizing logistics to making sure the schedule was running smoothly for the students—the whole event was very successful. The staff’s warmth and attention to detail really eased my mind and made me feel good about leaving my son at the program for the week.” – Mark (father), North Carolina<o:p></o:p></p><p>"I was looking for a rigorous, highly academic science program that promoted and modeled independence and the National Federation of the Blind was offering everything I was looking for. Still, I was hesitant. What if it wasn’t a good use of my students’ resources, or what if they weren’t safe? My fears were unwarranted, from start to finish. NFB made the health, safety, academic rigor, social experiences, and general well-being of our students paramount. Every detail was professionally planned and handled, ensuring that every moment, for every student, was as meaningful as it could possibly be.” – Laura (teacher of the visually impaired), Kentucky<o:p></o:p></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:115%'><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0075C9'>Questions?</span></strong><o:p></o:p></h2><p>Send them to:<br><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10471&qid=2162084">STEM@nfb.org</a><br>(410) 659-9314, extension 2418<br>National Federation of the Blind<br>200 East Wells Street<br>Baltimore, Maryland 21230<o:p></o:p></p><p><em>This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1712887. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.</em><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:0%'><span style='font-size:1.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>