[Njabs-talk] Great News to Share

[Quintina M. Singleton]

The following message  was sent to Joe Ruffalo this morning. 

Congratulations! Both girls are making New Jersey Proud!

Two New Jersey students have

> been selected to participate in an empowering and memorable experience in

> Damascus, Syria.  The Open Hands Foundation has chosen Shafeka Hashash and

> I, Melissa Lomax, to take part in the Youth Ability Summit.  This

> opportunity will allow us to continue advocating for others and making a

> difference in the lives of many people across the world!

>

> Both of us students are active members of the National Federation of the

> Blind, on both national and state levels.  Shafeka Hashash is the current

> Vice President of the New Jersey Association of Blind Students, an active

> member of New Jersey's Northeast chapter, and speaker for both Parents of

> Blind Children and for NFB state conventions.  I am an active member of

> the Greater Baltimore NFB chapter in Maryland, a board member of the

> Maryland Association of Blind Students, a speaker at New Jersey NFB

> conventions, and a 2010 National Scholarship winner.  Moreover, the both

> of us have benefited from being participants in the LEAD (Leadership,

> Education, Advocacy, and Determination) program. This program unites New

> Jersey high school students with successful, blind mentors to learn about

> technology, issues facing the blind, and ways to gain success and

> independence in the future.  In addition, students learn and increase

> their mobility, daily living, communication, and organizational skills.

>

> With the confidence and training provided by LEAD and the NFB, we have

> learned not to allow our blindness to stop us from pursuing our goals and

> aspirations.  Instead, we are active members in our communities with a

> desire to continue helping others.  Shafeka is a rising senior at Bergen

> County Academy.  She serves as captain of the mock trial team, a

> representative of Model United Nations, a member of the Junior Statesmen

> of America, the National Honor Society, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society,

> and a volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America and many other community

> service activities.  Currently, Shafeka strives to receive an

> International Baccalaureate diploma in addition to her high school one.

> After graduation, she hopes to attend either Columbia or Princeton

> University to major in international affairs or political science and

> minor in Middle Eastern studies.  Upon receiving her bachelor's degree,

> her aspirations will lead her to law school and to a career in the United

> Nations.

>

> I, Melissa, presently attend the University of Maryland-Baltimore County

> and in the fall, I will be a sophomore.  Pursuing an English Literature

> major, English writing minor, and secondary education certificate, my

> aspirations are to become a high school English teacher.  This career goal

> suits

> me because I have always enjoyed helping others and as a teacher, I can

> spend a great deal of time assisting students with improving their skills

> and strengthening their futures.  Currently, I am a member of the National

> Society of Collegiate Scholars and English Council of Majors and Minors, a

> volunteer for several non-profit organizations, a leader and coordinator

> of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and an advocate for solving the

> world hunger crisis by assisting in the coordination of a world hunger

> banquet and a "Thirsty for Water" day event.

>

> On Monday, June 7th, we were notified by the Open hands Initiative and

> congratulated for our acceptance into the Youth Ability Summit.  This

> summit is based off of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of

> Persons with Disabilities.  We are two of only ten Americans selected, all

> of which have different disabilities and range from age fifteen through

> twenty-one.  Our trip will begin on July 29, 2010, when we will fly out to

> Damascus, Syria for six days.  There, we will meet with ten Syrian

> advocates of the same age range.

>

> This summit will first begin with several sessions focused on educating us

> about the many issues and inequalities that people of all disabilities

> face.  Then, we will work together in creating a comic book, publicizing

> these inequalities and issues to the uniformed, general public.  A comic

> book will be the best method of reaching developing countries, which

> comprise a large portion of the world.  As for developed ones, like

> America, we will use the comic book in addition to brainstormed ideas-such

> as YouTube videos-to best reach these populations.

>

> While we are learning and working together to make a difference in the

> world, researchers will spend time studying us.  They want to know the

> ways in which we feel included and ways we can work together with society

> to obtain equality.  The findings will be published in journals, used in

> presentations, and sent to the organizations that we advocate for, thus

> providing another tool to further relay our message.  In learning and

> teaching with Syrian advocates, we hope to change the face of disabilities

> on a global level.

>

> Best Regards,

> Melissa Lomax

>

>