[Nfbwv-talk] NABS Newsletter

[charlene smyth]

Please find below the winter edition of the NABS newsletter, The Student Slate.  In it you will find an article by our own Bre Brown.



 

THE STUDENT SLATE
 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter 2011/2012

 

 

 

 

Edited by Karen Anderson, Cindy Bennett and Sean Whalen

 

 

 

 

Published by

 

 

The National Association of Blind Students

 

Sean Whalen, President



Contents
Editor's Introduction

Washington Seminar 2012

A Colorado Christmas by Kelly coleman

A Different Experience At BLIND, Inc. by Stephen Larson

Thanksgiving by cindy Bennett

Interactive Seminar: Spotlight on LABS by Michael harvey

Holiday Traditions

The Secret to Winning a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship by Patti S. Gregory-Chang

The Holidays at the Louisiana Center for the Blind by Bre Brown

 

 

 

Editor's Introduction
In some parts of the country snow is on the ground. In others, record high temperatures are giving those of us who just started a new semester an early case of Spring fever. Nevertheless, it is Winter, and in this issue of the Student Slate we relive the 2011 holiday season. We are proud to present articles that talk about holiday traditions at all three of our NFB training centers, as well as an article talking about some holiday traditions that are near and dear to the hearts of some NABS members. There is also an article about how one man used alternatives to the alternative techniques of blindness, as well as a look ahead to Washington Seminar, which is coming up in a couple of weeks, and links to the 2012 fact sheets. 

 

While we are on the topic of Washington Seminar, we would like to take this opportunity to tell you what the National Association of Blind Students is planning for this year's gathering. Our annual winter seminar will be held on Monday, February 6. Registration will begin at 8:00 in the morning, and the meeting will start promptly at 9:00. The fee to register is $5.00, and that will enter you into the drawing to win some cool door prizes! We have lots of exciting speakers lined up for this year's meeting, as well as the popular breakout sessions which give students an opportunity to network and ask questions about specific topics. A full agenda will be published soon.

 

That afternoon NABS will also be holding a resource fair. Roughly 15 different companies and organizations, including the Jernigan Institute, International Braille and Technology Center, and Blio, will be present and ready to answer your questions. This is a great opportunity to network and find out what resources are out there for us as blind students, and we hope to see many of you there.

 

Finally, on Monday evening after the Great Gathering In, NABS will be holding a fundraiser/social event. The NABS Café will run from 8:00 until midnight. This year we have performers such as Chris Danielsen, Parnell Diggs, and others lined up to perform for your listening pleasure. We might even get president Whalen up there. In addition, NABS will be holding an auction, and we have several fantastic items up for bid including a week at a vacation house, Disney Park Hopper passes, a Victor Stream, and a video magnifier. Tickets to get into the event are $5.00 in advance and $7.00 at the door, and there will be NABS members selling tickets before our meeting as well as at our table at the resource fair. It promises to be a fun and relaxing evening. So come one come all and enjoy the NABS Café.

 

We hope you enjoy this latest issue of the Student Slate, and we look forward to seeing many of you in Washington D.C!

 

Washington Seminar 2012
 

>From the Editor: It is once again time for the National Federation of the Blind to carry our message of equality and opportunity to Capitol Hill. Our annual Washington Seminar is not only a great opportunity for blind students to help to educate our legislators on issues of importance to the blind, but also an excellent opportunity to learn about our government, se how grass roots advocacy can influence public policy, and take in all that Washington DC has to offer.

 

This year's festivities will kick off with the annual NABS winter meeting on Monday February 6, 2012, and at 5:00pm, that evening the Great Gathering In will launch the week's legislative efforts. The various state affiliates of the NFB will be heading to the Hill to meet with Members of Congress and their staffers on Tuesday through Thursday, February 7 to 9 to raise awareness and call for legislative action on three issues. The following is a brief summary of each issue about which we will be educating our legislators:

 

Repeal the Fair Labor Standards Act
 

There is currently a bill introduced in the United States House of Representatives (H.R. 3086) That would make it illegal to pay subminimum wages to blind or otherwise disabled employees. As the law stands, a decades-old provision 14(c) of the Fair labor Standards Act, allows certain employers to obtain certifications to pay people with disabilities at less than the federal minimum wage. It is unfair and must be repealed by H.R. 3086, The Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act. Congressman Cliff Sterns introduced this bill, and it already has a bipartisan list of over 20 cosponsors.

 

Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunities Act (ADBOA)
 

The federal government gives certain preferences to particular socially or economically disadvantaged groups. Women owned businesses, businesses located in certain underutilized business zones, small businesses, and others receive special consideration in the granting of government contracts, whereas blind owned or managed businesses do not. They receive the contracting preference under a section of contracting law called 8(a). We are trying to get Congress to grant businesses owned and managed by persons with disabilities 8(a) status so that the blind can benefit from government contracting opportunities by introducing and passing a bill to make this happen.

 

Accessible Home Appliances
 

A third legislative initiative will be to have a bill introduced and passed to ensure that washing machines, dryers and dishwashers have controls that can be used nonvisually`. For those of you who are familiar with the issues from last year's Washington Seminar, this initiative is a slightly scaled back version of the Tech Bill of Rights. Whereas last year's bill was intended to make all electronics accessible by the blind, this bill is focused specifically on home appliances. 

 

To learn more about all of the 2012 legislative initiatives, you can go to http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Washington_Seminar.asphttp://www.nfb.org/nfb/Washington_Seminar.asp to check out the fact sheets prepared by the NFB governmental affairs team. The issues will also be discussed in detail at the legislative seminar at 1:00 on February 6, as well as at the Great Gathering In meeting, being held at 5:00 in the Columbia Room that same day.

 

We look forward to seeing a strong contingent of students in Washington DC to help change what it means to be blind in the United States. Together we can educate Congress, influence public policy, and make meaningful changes in the lives of blind individuals across the country!

 

A Colorado Christmas
by Kelly Coleman

 

>From the Editor: Kelly Coleman is a student at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and also serves as the Vice President of the Nebraska Association of Blind Students. Before entering college, she took a year and went through the adult training program at the Colorado Center for the Blind. Here is what she has to say about their holiday traditions.

 

Everyone has different kinds of holiday traditions. However, there is nothing quite like several different types of people coming together to celebrate. We've all heard of a Christmas tree, presents and, of course, Santa, but at The Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB) we gave these all a certain flair. 

 

Instead of going to a commercial tree farm for a tree we drove up the mountains and cut one ourselves. All the students and staff piled in to two vans and drove high in to the pines. As we emerged from the van, the first thing we noticed was the overpowering smell of Christmas trees. We were then put in to groups and given our assignments. All of us got to wander around looking for the perfect tree. This had to be a full and tall thing, which would withstand plenty of decorations.

 

After we had found the tree, we were then given the task of cutting it down. A staff member was in charge and showed each one of us how to use the saw, while the rest of us waited and had snowball fights. When the tree was finally cut, several students were asked to tie it to the top of one of the vans. We then drove back to the center, by this time exhausted. We were then expected to help set it up in our meeting room. The next day we hauled out all the decorations. By the time we were through, the tree glittered and shone with all the lights and ornaments on it. This not only gave students a chance to learn about cutting with a chain saw, but it gave a real festive holiday feel. Many students got to learn how to tie a tree to the top of a van, and when we returned we learned how to set it up in a stand. It was a huge thing, that made our CCB feel a little more like home before the holidays.

 

At CCB we also went caroling. The group was led by our Braille instructor, Tom Anderson. Though we will never be a choir, people loved our songs. This gave students a chance for an extra travel lesson as well as some extra Braille reading. (We brailled all the songs for those that did not know them.) This also gave students a chance to socialize with people in the Littleton community and to educate people about blindness.

 

Lastly, at CCB we had a secret Santa. While this is not uncommon, it gave students several opportunities to learn about each other, and practice our skills. We were given the opportunity to go on a travel lesson to a store for our gift. We had to plan the route, call the store and ask about prices, then make the journey to get the gift. There are many people and places that have Christmas traditions. At CCB, like any family, we had several that made our holidays great.

 

 

A Different Experience At BLIND, Inc.
By Stephen Larson

 

>From the Editor: Stephen Larson is an employee of the department of rehabilitation in Minnisoda. As part of his training, he chose to go for emersion training at Blind Inc. Here is what he has to say about his experiences:

 

In the fall of 2011, I participated in 7 weeks of Adjustment to Blindness Training at BLIND Inc. and Vision Loss Resources in Minneapolis. It was a tremendous learning experience and a difficult one at that given the fact I was born without arms and use my feet to perform most activities of daily living. 

 

I'd be lying if I were to say this training was easy for me because honestly, it was a lot of work requiring trust in the instructors and no small dose of courage. However, transformative life experiences typically require effort of this sort. Being without arms and using my feet to navigate the physical realm is challenging in and of itself; but using sleep shades adds an entirely new dimension. Not having hands to tactilely sense the environment around me, my poor fine motor skills and the limited tactile information I received from my cane through my prostheses all contributed to the challenge, not to mention the strenuousness of using my legs and feet more than usual in communications, home management and industrial arts classes. 

 

I am a product of Minnesota's vocational rehabilitation program and have worked as both a counselor and manager. However, since there is a separate agency for the blind in Minnesota, I have never had the privilege of working with persons with blindness or other visual impairments. The training revealed to me the unique path which persons with blindness and low vision must take to achieve greater independence and employment: a path in some ways different from my own or that taken by persons with other types of disabilities. 

 

One of the differences is the critical role that mobility plays for the blind to be engaged and active in their communities. Mass transit and well developed orientation and mobility skills are essential as well as access to new technologies, the opportunity to integrate their functionality into their activities of daily living, the mental mapping of spaces and acute attention to auditory stimuli are key in the development of alternative strategies. 

 

Similarities include the importance of emotional support, strong interpersonal skills, the capacity to problem-solve, occupational certification or licensure as well as multiple and varied educational or vocational experiences. This learning experience reinforced my opinion that for those with a severe disability, personal traits other than sheer intelligence or academic proficiency determine, to a large extent, if one is to live a full and meaningful life.

 

I believe that student success often equates to employment success. When I was a student, I always considered my schooling a full-time job as did several of my fellow students at Blind Inc. and Vision Loss Resources. An article from the New York Times by Paul Tough (September 14, 2011) entitled What If the Secret to Success Is Failure, examines characteristics which appear to be highly correlated with student success: "Students who persisted in college were not necessarily the ones who had excelled academically.; they were the ones with exceptional character strengths, like optimism and persistence and social intelligence. They were the ones who were able to recover from a bad grade and resolve to do better next time; to bounce back from a fight with their parents; to resist the urge to go out to the movies and stay home and study instead; to persuade professors to give them extra help after class." 

 

These skills alone do not guarantee success, but I would argue that especially for persons with severe disabilities and those without the benefit of significant family resources, a "safety net" so to speak, they lie at the very foundation of success. Consider the role that optimism, self-control, persistence, the ability to recover quickly from negative experiences and social intelligence play in your life. 

 

We all carry our own "cross": adversity or traumatic life experiences. Some are able to carry the load while others unfortunately succumb to it. Few of the students I attended training with will succumb for they are no less than warriors in my estimation. They anticipate and accommodate adversity every day, forging a "battle-hardened" confidence. Accustomed to what many persons without disabilities and some persons with disabilities would consider insurmountable hardship, they "roll with the punches" and most emit a positive, optimistic aura which ripples throughout their physical and emotional environment. This charisma or positive energy often has a profound effect on their own emotions and those of others.

 

Paul Tough's article also mentions the work of Angela Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania who has researched the concept of self-control (the ability to regulate emotions, thoughts, and feelings in the service of valued goals) and she coined the term "grit" to describe perseverance and sustained interest in long-term goals. Duckworth and her collaborators developed a grit test which they administered to more than 1,200 freshman cadets as they entered West Point. The military has its own assessments but the more accurate predictor of which cadets persisted and which ones dropped out turned out to be Duckworth's 12-item grit questionnaire. 

 

Dr. Martin Seligman, also of the University of Pennsylvania, and other researchers have identified a set of strengths that were especially likely to predict life satisfaction and high achievement. They settled on a final list: zest, grit, self-control, social intelligence, gratitude, optimism and curiosity.

 

Some schools are actually beginning to attempt to teach these character strengths and are finding significant success in doing so. The importance of these characteristics permeates these schools with T-shirts which bear the slogan "Infinite Character" and Seligman's 24 character strengths. The walls are covered with signs that read "Got self-control?" and "I actively participate!" 

 

These types of conversation are not academic instruction or discipline, but rather a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that involves using the conscious mind to understand and overcome unconscious fears and self-destructive habits, using techniques like "self-talk" - putting an immediate crisis in perspective, the struggle to pull yourself through a crisis, to come to terms on a deep level with your own shortcomings and to labor to overcome them. 

 

The essential conclusion is that what kids or adults need more than anything is a little hardship or challenges in life which they can overcome and ultimately demonstrate to themselves that they are capable of doing so. Considering the adversity and hardship that many persons with severe disabilities experience, many possess a competitive advantage already by having developed these same type of personal characteristics.

 

Our vocational rehabilitation programs often do their best to achieve modest outcomes with the modest resources they are provided but after all of my years in advocacy, what I mourn the most is the comparative absence of persons with severe visible disabilities in leadership positions in our society. There are some, of course, but how many do you know or have you met outside of organizations that serve the disabled? We must collectively (among advocacy groups and service organizations alike) make a concerted effort to tie education and training opportunities to industry recognized credentials, start early in heightening the expectations that parents have of their children with disabilities and provide opportunities for youth to explore careers and develop technical competencies before high school graduation. 

 

In closing, I would like to thank my employer, Minnesota State Services for the Blind for this opportunity to learn. I wish to acknowledge and commend the high degree of professionalism demonstrated by BLIND Inc.'s and Vision Loss Resources' instructors and administrative staff who are clearly committed to the education of their students. Mostly, I appreciated what I learned from my fellow students. This learning will significantly influence my opinions and practice in the arenas of vocational rehabilitation and disability policy for years to comef.

 

 

Thanksgiving
by Cindy Bennett

 

>From the Editor: Cindy Bennett is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and has been a student at BLIND, Inc. since mid-September. In this article, she writes about the annual Thanksgiving feast the BLIND, Inc. students prepare for their instructors:

 

Thanksgiving with my family has always been just that, very family oriented. We used to travel but have taken to hosting the dinner and housing up to 16 guests in our 19 hundred square foot home. So this meant that Thanksgiving was filled with wonderful chaos, chaos that often left me at a loss for how I should help out. I took to the tasks I knew like the coveted potato pealing or before dinner even begins dishwashing. I had always been curious about turkey preparation, but in my teen years, and ok maybe still, I had never been ambitious enough to wake up at 5:00 A.M. or courageous enough to interrupt the chaos to ask questions. So everyone left the turkey roasting to mom, and the turkey frying to the boys outside.

 

At BLIND, Inc. however, the students prepare a giant Thanksgiving meal for the staff, and the staff repay us with a holiday dinner to which I am looking forward. So we began with a plan. We had to map out a menu and decide who was going to do what, and what could be prepared beforehand. We wanted to fry and roast turkeys, and I was excited to assist with both processes.

 

I first carved a turkey and realized that the artistic connotation that "carving" gives is not accurate. It was actually quite easy to feel where the various parts of the turkey such as the legs and wings bent and joined with the mid-section. I cut the legs, thighs, and wings off before slicing the breast. 

 

The morning of the dinner, I prepared the fryer for turkey. I examined its pieces before hooking up the propane tank. It was quite simple to feel each end and connect the tank to the fryer. I have worked with matches, but I was a bit wary of lighting one so close to the propane tank. I used the match to find where I needed to light before doing so, and I listened for the fryer to light before removing the match. The oil has to heat to 325 degrees, and for the amount we used, it took about 45 minutes. Typically, before you fry a turkey, you displace it in water to figure out how much oil you need. You can do this by filling the fryer with water the day before, and placing the thawed turkey, still wrapped, inside the water. After all of the excess has spilled, you can measure how much water remains to determine the amount of oil to use.

 

A turkey must fry 3 minutes per pound, so this meant that our 12-pounder needed to cook for 36 minutes, but before that could even start, we had to lower the bird into the incredibly hot oil. Brice, another student, held the basket, which is metal with holes, that comes with the fryer. Food is placed into the basket, and a device that looks like an upside-down hanger is utilized to lower the basket. I lifted the raw turkey and placed it into the basket. I do not mind working with raw meat, but I was a little grossed out since I had to stick my hand into the inside of the carcass to lift it, but it was definitely worth it. Brice then connected the hanger device to the basket handle. This would be comparable to hooking the part of a hanger which hangs on the closet clothes bar to something. He found the side of the fryer with the basket, lifted, and lowered slowly to avoid scorching splatters. He removed the hanger device from the basket handle, and we put the lid on and waited.

 

Removing the finished turkey is tedious, because you first have to use the hanger device to find the handle, hook it onto the handle, and lift. Then, you must move the side of the basket, which has a lip, slowly up the side of the fryer and hook it onto the top edge of the fryer. This allows oil to drip. After the dripping has stopped, the turkey can be lifted completely out of the fryer and placed to cool.

 

Although the turkey was the main course, there were many other tasks necessary for a successful meal that we engaged in the entire week prior. I learned how picky homemade pie crusts can be, and worked on patience while cutting them. I placed a toothpick in the center of each pie to center myself and placed toothpicks along the side to indicate the slices I had already cut. From the appetizers to the dessert, we all worked hard to serve the staff, and finally, ourselves, and the meal was incredible.

 

I am appreciative of BLIND, Inc. for creating opportunities out of holidays to learn the important nonvisual techniques essential to hosting large dinners with food that is typically only cooked at those occasions. I look forward to hosting several holidays for my family, and even though I did not perfect any of these skills, I was given a foundation of skills and confidence to start from in the future.

 

 

Interactive Seminar: Spotlight on LABS
by Michael Harvey

 

>From the Editor: Michael Harvey is a graduate student at Louisiana Tech, and currently serves as the president of the Louisiana Association of Blind Students. Last October they held a student seminar in Ruston, Louisiana. Here is what he has to say about that experience:

 

On the weekend of October 21-23, the Louisiana Association of Blind Students (Labs), welcomed 28 students from 11 states and 2 countries to Ruston Louisiana for our annual student seminar. Several students of the Louisiana Center for the Blind are planning to pursue higher educational endeavors upon completing training, so Labs was more than happy to have these individuals participate in our successful seminar. We even welcomed a high school student and her mentor from Texas to take part in this event. 

 

This year we decided to let the students dictate the topics covered during the seminar. After consulting the Labs board and other individuals, I constructed a long list of topics, skills and issues that blind students may encounter in high school and/or college. Examples of items on the list include but are not limited to: notetakers, bookreaders, iphones and ipads, cane travel, social media, makeup (using alternative techniques), and grilling. 

 

Friday night was a chance for students to get acquainted and have pizza. We also had a box placed in the back of the room. People were encouraged to Braille questions and place them in the box to be answered throughout the weekend. Digital book readers, electronic notetakers, and the agenda for the rest of the weekend were among the topics discussed on Friday night. 

 

Saturday Morning was our breakfast buffet. Mrs. Whittle drove the bus and we all went to Ryan's to either practice or learn how to effectively serve ourselves at a buffet. The rest of the morning was dedicated to the iphone. We had Tree Mabry and James Watson from Alabama and Texas respectively discuss the features of the iphone and answer questions. Everyone who already used an IPhone already had a chance to get help with any problems they may have been experiencing. Then, iphone users were paired with students who wanted to learn more about the device which gave people a chance to learn hands-on and one-on-one. 

 

After walking to the center for lunch, Josh Boudreaux led a discussion on facebook chat and other pc issues. People had a chance to ask about technical issues with Microsoft products and anything else relating to the pc. The two hours seemed to fly by, and everyone participated in a lively discussion. Terrin Barker (vice president) led a discussion on makeup and alternative techniques for the girls that wanted to discuss this topic. Some of our students attended the City of Lights Fashion show which was a local chapter function for meet the blind month. The 15 students who did not go to the fashion show all chipped in to make dinner which consisted of grilling at the Lcb activity center. Emily Weidner (secretary), Terrin Barker (vice president), Lani Hawkshead (board member) and Lerone Walker (general member) were instrumental in helping coordinate and run a successful seminar. Thanks also to Jim Reed who taught the students how to grill. 

 

Hosting students from Oklahoma to Kyrgyzstan, the Louisiana Association of Blind Students enjoyed a successful 2011 student seminar. Many thanks to Eric Guillory, our advisor, and everyone on the board who worked to make our seminar a success. I am proud to say that students ranging from 14-34 years of age learned, laughed and participated actively in the 2011 Labs Student Seminar. Finally, thank you to Pam Allen, Josh Boudreaux and the entire state affiliate for your support and assistance. 

 

 

Holiday Traditions
 

>From the Editor: It is hard to get into the holiday spirit with the pressure of finals, so we thought we would ask the membership how they celebrate. Whether you cut down a giant Christmas tree with your family, indulge yourself in too much pecan pie, build extravagant gingerbread houses with your five-year-old cousins, or whether you appreciate the holiday for no other reason for that coveted break from school, we all have stories about this time of year, and we are excited to share the submissions we received. A few students closed their books for a minute to tell us why the holidays are special to them, and here is what they have to say.

 

So What Do you eat for Thanksgiving?
by Elizabeth Mohnke

 

When I first saw the editor's announcement about seeking submissions on holiday traditions, I wondered if I would have anything to contribute. While I have lots of fond stories of the holidays, it would seem as though the only common thread among these memories would include spending time with my family, eating lots of great food, and watching some good old American football.

 

On some occasions, Thanksgiving was an elaborate feast with all of my extended family members joining in on the festivities. My mother is one of ten siblings, so when we all get together for whatever occasion, it is more of a casual affair with a potluck meal. On other occasions, Thanksgiving dinner was a more intimate affair shared between my parents, sisters, and grandparents sitting around the dining room table. However, regardless of how my family chose to spend Thanksgiving, there was always a Detroit Lions football game running in the background. Granted, they were usually losing to another team like those pesky Green Bay Packers, but I suppose that is another story for another day.

 

So how exactly does a holiday tradition fit into this story? Well, it actually has to do with the question posed in the title of this article. If you partake in a traditional Thanksgiving feast with a turkey as the centerpiece of the meal, there really is no reason to question what you are going to be eating for Thanksgiving. However, since I have been a vegetarian for over ten years now, I have been asked this question several times by several different people.

 

My answer to this question is rather simple. I simply make it a tradition not to eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Sometimes this means simply foregoing a main dish, and simply loading up on all the good trimmings like homemade mashed potatoes, squash from the garden, and freshly steamed cauliflower. On other occasions, it means creating my own main dish to add to the meal. Over the years, I have tried my hand at perfecting a holiday lentil loaf as well as a tofu turkey. And sometimes, others have actually been willing to try some of these creations. 

 

On most days of the year, people seem to see me as the odd blind girl. However, on Thanksgiving, blindness does not seem to be much of an issue. Instead of people seeing me as some odd blind girl, they seem to see me as the weird vegetarian girl who refuses to eat the turkey, the gravy, and the homemade dressing made from what every other person calls the good drippings from the bottom of the turkey pan. 



Oh, but I also make it a tradition to eat at least one slice of pumpkin pie or a pumpkin square with lots of whipped topping, so maybe I am not so strange after all!

 

A Look into Lithuanian Christmas Eve
By Vejas Vasiliauskas

 

I am Vejas Vasiliauskas, fourteen, and I live in Manhattan Beach. Each year, my family partakes in a traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve, called Kucius. First of all, you may want to know where Lithuania is located. It is one of the 3 Baltic countries and is also close to Russia and Poland.

 

Typical Lithuanian Christmas eves at our house are filled with fun. My uncle, aunt and cousins have come over to our house for 10 years, and sometimes other relatives come as well. Our tradition begins with breaking an edible, strange-looking bread called platkelis, which feels like a card but is, obviously, edible. People break the parts of their platkelis, and give the pieces to others. After this ordeal, we say prayers and EAT!!!! There are traditionally twelve dishes, but we usually use more. Also, we cannot eat meat on Christmas Eve, so we eat several fish dishes which typically contain mushrooms. We indulge in several other cultural sides. After we eat, we open presents-we have a "Secret Santa" system at our house-and then we just talk and have dessert. And go to sleep to prepare for the next day, Christmas! Because of all the presents and spending time with my family, Christmas Eve and Christmas are my favorite times during the year.

 

 

Holiday Traditions
By Beth [last name unknown]

 

       My holiday traditions are simple and blend all the cultures of my family. My family does a Cajun Christmas Eve dinner comprised of my mother's famous Gumbo recipe. Then, the next day, we open presents and have an Italian Christmas dinner: pasta, salad, bread, and the like. On Thanksgiving, we usually have it with the Italian side, although this year I will be feasting with a truly American family. I enjoy Thanksgiving most of all because we get to stop and take time to thank our God or Allah for whatever we have, and really enjoy it--football included.

 

 

The Secret to Winning a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship
by Patti S. Gregory-Chang

 

reprinted from the October 2011 Braille Monitor

 

>From the Editor: Patti Chang is a past NFB scholarship winner, president of the NFB of Illinois, and a member of the NFB board of directors. She also chairs the National Federation of the Blind scholarship committee. Since the application will be on our website <www.nfb.org> November 1, it's time for her annual article about the process. This is what Patti says:

 

Let me begin by announcing that we are developing a new interface for scholarship applications. The web page stays the same, but new features make it easier for applicants and the committee. For example, applicants may now work on applications in several sessions before submitting a final product. Numerous improvements are in the works. Please contact me with your comments and feedback. 

 

Each July at our national convention the National Federation of the Blind gives a broad array of scholarships to recognize achievement by blind scholars. We offer thirty scholarships ranging in value. Our $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship is the largest. The NFB scholarship program is our investment in the future of blind people who demonstrate scholastic aptitude, leadership, and service. I encourage every blind college student to apply. I am sometimes asked what the secret is to winning an NFB scholarship. I am going to tell you the secret.

 

First of all, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements to receive a scholarship. All applicants for these scholarships must be legally blind; must reside in one of our fifty states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico; must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time post-secondary course of study in a degree program at an accredited United States institution in the fall of the 2012-2013 academic year, except that one scholarship may be given to a person employed full-time while attending school part-time; and, if chosen, must participate in the entire NFB national convention and in all scheduled scholarship activities. 

 

Many think the key to becoming a winner is a high grade-point average. Others believe it is based on participation in extracurricular activities. Still others think it is one's level of commitment to the NFB. While grade-point average is important because it demonstrates the ability to learn and be successful academically, it is not the only attribute that influences the scholarship committee. Participation in extracurricular activities is important in portraying oneself as a well-rounded person; it is not sufficient in itself to justify a scholarship award. Committed members of the organization recognize the attributes that are important to committee members when determining who wins a scholarship.

 

The scholarship program is a tremendous tool for us to develop future leaders of the National Federation of the Blind, but scholarship awards are not restricted to members of the organization. The National Federation of the Blind is an organization dedicated to creating opportunity for all blind people. To that end recipients of NFB scholarships need not be members of the National Federation of the Blind. Many of our past winners were not even aware of the NFB before they applied for our scholarships. When you check the records for past winners, you will see that students of all ages and in widely differing fields have won over the years. The class of 2011 included students entering their freshman year on up to older students who were nearly ready to write their PhD dissertations. The winners of 2011 are currently working toward credentials for employment as diverse as recreational therapist, equine veterinarian, organic chemist, molecular biologist, and teacher.

 

There is truly only one way to win an NFB scholarship, and that is to apply. Each November the new, updated scholarship application forms are posted on the web at <www.nfb.org/scholarships> along with important information about the contest, links to information on past winners, and a page of frequently asked questions. The online application form for 2012 will be available from November 1 to the contest deadline on March 31, 2012. The process can be initiated with an online application, which we prefer, or students can download a print application from the site. Any students who do not have access to the website may contact the scholarship office to request a print copy of the form and other necessary materials. 

 

A complete application consists of the official application form and a student essay, plus these supporting documents: student transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and proof of legal blindness. The student must also complete an interview with the president of his or her state of residence or the state where he or she will be attending school. High school seniors must also include a copy of the results of their ACT, SAT, or other college entrance exams. Unfortunately, some applications are incomplete, so the committee is unable to consider them fairly.

 

Applicants should be sure to provide all the requested information along with supporting documentation. They should carefully consider who can do the best job of writing their letters of reference. Letters should support the application by being full of facts and observations that will help the members of the committee see the applicant as a smart, active student and citizen. 

 

Students can write their essays using word-processing software. They should remember to use the spell checker (or a human proofreader) before uploading, printing, or copying and pasting it into the online application form. In an effective essay the applicant will talk about his or her life in a way that gives the committee insight into him or her. The essay should cover the ways in which one lives successfully as a blind person and describe one's personal goals for the future. 

 

Committee members give the essay a great deal of attention. The NFB scholarship committee is comprised of dedicated, successful blind people who will review all applications and select the top thirty applicants as the scholarship class of 2012. 

 

Note that students submit just one application to the program; the scholarship committee will choose the thirty winners from all applications received. These thirty scholarship winners will be notified of their selection by telephone no later than June 1. Finally, during the annual convention in Dallas from June 30 through July 5, 2012, the scholarship committee will decide which award will be presented to each winner. 

 

Attending the entire NFB national convention is one of the requirements to become an NFB scholarship winner. Of course attending the convention is also a significant part of the prize. This is the largest gathering of blind people to occur anywhere in the nation each year, with 2,500 or more people registered. Those chosen as scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to network with other blind students, to exchange information and ideas, and to meet and talk with hundreds of blind people who are successfully functioning in many, many occupations and professions. Our past winners often comment that the money was quickly spent, but the contacts they made and the information they gathered at convention have continued to make their lives richer than they ever imagined. 

 

Often students apply more than once before winning a scholarship, so applicants are encouraged to reapply. The NFB may award three or more scholarships to men and women who have already received one Federation scholarship in the past if enough strong and worthy candidates apply. Individuals receiving a second NFB national scholarship are recognized as tenBroek Fellows. The secret, if there is one, to winning an NFB scholarship is to read carefully the application on our website and then provide all of the required information and supporting documentation before the deadline of March 31, 2012. However, I actually maintain that there is no secret. The only way to win an NFB scholarship is to apply

 

 

 

 

 

The Holidays at the Louisiana Center for the Blind
by Bre Brown

 

>From the Editor: Bre Brown is a recent high school graduate who currently serves as president of the West Virginia Association of Blind Students, and also chairs the NABS high school committee. Following her graduation from high school, Bre decided to ggo get training in the alternative skills of blindness at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Here's what she has to say about LCB's holiday traditions:

 

At the Louisiana Center for the Blind, we do activities outside of the classroom to help with gaining confidence and experience. Shortly after Thanksgiving break, we went to cut down Christmas trees. At our Christmas party, a group of students, including myself, performed a play called "Santa Rides Again" written by Jerry Whittle. Finally, we had a secret Santa exchange. All these things have their own distinct lessons to teach us as blind people.

 

We divided up into three groups to select trees for the activity center, the lobby, and the dining room. I had never thought of finding my own Christmas tree as a blind person. It turns out that it is not so difficult. The most important thing is to make sure there aren't any gaping holes between the branches and that the branches are not drooping down too far. We simply walked around the tree farm feeling around to see which one we thought might be the best. If one of us thought we found something, we gathered around to check out the tree. There was something different about each one. We used a hand saw to cut down the tree, and I was doing the cutting when the tree fell off the stump. I was proud when we carried away our trees. It truly is just another simple task that we can do as blind people.

 

I love to act and sing. When I heard about the LCB Christmas play, I was thrilled. I signed up, but I was curious how all this was going to work. I did not think it wasn't possible, but I wondered how to direct as a blind person. I have been in plays before, but I had never been in one with other blind people. After we started practicing, I realized there isn't any difference in the directing process, blind or not. A few days later, I was asked to co-direct the choir. I said, "Yes", even though I wasn't exactly sure how to handle everything. I worked with the main director, and we arranged all the music and talked about how we wanted to set up the choir. It turned out that the most challenging thing was teaching everyone the way we wanted to perform the songs. After doing this, I now feel more confident about working with a choir in the future.

 

This short play has a powerful message. In the beginning of the play, Santa had just gone blind. He is grieving, and he doesn't want to do anything. He doesn't even think he can be Santa anymore. However, Mrs. Claus disagrees with him. Eventually, he finds his way to the Louisiana Center for the Blind. I told him about all the opportunities he could have and how possible things would be for him if he would just come get training. He does decide to get training and is very successful in the end. This play is an entertaining way to promote the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. With proper training and opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a physical nuisance.

 

Not only does the play have an important message, but this is a learning experience as well. This is just one example of the extracurricular activities performed by students at the center showing them that they can do the same things in their hometowns. The play is no exception. We can participate in anything we put our mind's too. I have had some great challenges with the plays I had done in the past. However, by doing this play, I have learned some new alternative techniques. I believe I will be more excited about doing plays in the future.

 

Finally, we had our secret Santa. As usual, we drew from a pile of names. Not everyone knew things about the person's name they drew. To help with this, during morning announcements, people would tell us things they like or gifts they wanted in particular. This was interesting. We definitely learned some things about each other. I was satisfied with this method because I got someone who joined the center one day before the drawing.

 

I am glad that I could take part in these events. You never know what kind of experience you will have until you try. You can most certainly learn things about yourself when trying new things. 

 

In closing, I want to wish all of you a happy holiday.