[nfbwatlk] Cookie Exchange Report

[Cindy Bennett]

Last Saturday, December 8, I hosted a cookie exchange targeted at
students in Washington. I contacted several TVI's and DSB counselors.
And I personally invited the OTC students.

I think the day was a great success. Five students traveled from the
OTC apartments, and 3 TVI's and blindness professionals joined us. I
heard from one that a few of his students' parents couldn't come but
are interested in speaking with me, and I definitely look forward to
hearing from them. At this event, we talked about our event calendar
and subsequently, two of the students came and protested with us
today. I am trying to get them to our Seattle chapter party on
Saturday.

Anyway, we had a great discussion about why we were protesting Amazon
and why that issue was specifically student-related. We played an
icebreaker and got to know each other. We had a really positive time.

So due to the fact that I know that we can implement successful events
on a whim, this idea came to me just 3 weeks ago, I look forward to
continuing this trend. I especially appreciated Mike Mello for
reserving a room in his apartment building for the event which served
as a free and central location. And, I would also like to thank Marci
Carpenter for coming and assisting. We had lots of fun and ate
delicious cookies. So, I look forward to more of you collaborating
with me for future events. I look forward to learning about the
conversations you are having with blind people around you about
student and young engagement, because like I said at our state
convention, those conversations are how it all starts. I don't know
everyone, but we all know some people, and we all can easily talk
about how the NFB is a life changing organization.

I am really glad we had this event, and it was a motivator to
continue. The OTC is interested in having a student seminar-esque day
during their next term just based on my presentation. So, I plan to
follow up with the OTC to make sure I am involved. And, the school for
the blind has expressed interest in me attending a career day that
they are having in February. Marci and I plan to host a table at the
Seattle Public Schools organization fair near the beginning of next
year, and we plan to table a couple of organization days at local
colleges to disseminate literature and information about the NFB
scholarship program. So, those are some upcoming ambitions, and I hope
to hear from some of you who may wish to help. And I hope that all of
you assist me by having more conversations with more people.

-- 
Cindy Bennett
B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington

clb5590 at gmail.com