[Njabs-talk] Independence 2011 is just around the corner

[EVELYN E. VALDEZ]

It  is cold outside, so it is time to start thinking about summer fun and Blind  Industries and Services of Maryland Independence 2011! 

 
Last  year Independence 2010 was a great success and this year it is going to be even 

better. 
Independence  2011 is a seven-week residential program where blind and low vision youth 

entering into the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades  in the fall of 2011 will have the opportunity to learn the skills of blindness 

from successful blind instructors. We will return to the campus of Towson 

University, where students will live in apartments with their blind adult 

instructors/mentors and learn how to manage their own apartment, cook, clean, 

grocery shop, manage money, wash clothes, to name just a few things. Not only 

will students of the seven-week residential program learn the skills of 

blindness through classes such as cane travel, Braille, computer/technology, and 

independent living (Home Ec.) but they are going to be able to gain that much 

needed resume builder – paid employment. With these economic times, who doesn’t 

need a little extra spending money? Students will have the opportunity to work a 

total of 30-40 hours in the community during the last two weeks of the program. 

Independence  2011 is going to attend the national convention of the National Federation of 

the Blind in Orlando, FL and participate in the National Federation of the Blind 

Youth Slam and we can’t forget spend a day having fun in Disney World. Then, 

there are the times that we explore Baltimore, Towson, visit our Nation’s 

capital, attend an Oriol’s game, go swimming, check out a movie or two and we can’t 

forget those evenings of playing cards until the wee hours of 

morning.
Sound fun!?! You better believe it! 
Dates: June 19 – August 5, 2011 
For  an application and more information, please email me at aphelps at bism.org or call me at 410-737-2642. 


Please  feel free to share this information and we look forward to an exciting 

Independence 2011! 

Warm regards, 
Amy C. Phelps  
Amy C. Phelps, CRC, NOMC
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
3345 Washington Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21227
Phone: 410-737-2642
Mobile: 410-274-1647
Fax: 410-737-2689
Toll Free: 888-322-4567
E-mail: 

aphelps at bism.org
 
"...given 

proper training and opportunity, the average blind person can do the average job 

in the average place of business and do it as well as his or her sighted 

neighbor..." Freedom for the Blind, James H. Omvig