[Njabs-talk] Corrected Minutes for NJABS call 091111

[Benjamin Vercellone]

NJABS Minutes for Sunday September 11, 2011

The call began at about 8:00 PM, beginning with a moment of silence in 
memory of September 11.

Several minutes later, time not exactly known: Our topic began which was 
the Youth slam! This is a 5 day program on a college campus, in which 
students get to work hands-on as blind people in science, technology, 
engineering, and math.Evelyn spreads the word about the Youth Slam in 
NJ. There is also the Junior Science Academy. She talks about it.

Mark Coleserto told us of his time at the youth slam. He is now a 
freshman at Lehigh University. He attended the 2011 Youth Slam at Towson 
University. He participated in the biology track. This track identified 
different DNA sequences in different organisms. There were Alternative 
techniques. There was an instrument used, maybe called a petrometer. DNA 
can be seen with this. Students were Very busy at all times. There were 
social gatherings. Different activities too. Goal ball. All students 
were able to take part in a dance. They hung out a lot. The Youth slam 
was at the University of Maryland in 2009. There was even an 
astronomical viewing. There were tactile drawings of the moon. There 
were other things. Demonstration of solar system. How did he go? He 
found out about this through the NFB. The NJ Commission can help fund it 
for students if necessary. Talk to Evelyn or Shafeka. Mark heard about 
it at convention. Evelyn got Mark's application and got the note to get 
him in. The deadline was passed. She asked why? She is glad she did get 
him in.

8:15 PM: Mark finished.

8:16 PM: Mary Fernandez told of her experience at Youth Slam. There have 
been 3 Youth Slams thus far. They are every 2 years. People present 
there with many different jobs. These are blind people. One job deals 
with hazardous material. You decide which track you'll be on. One is 
biology. One is forensics. ETC. A blind person got to drive a car in 
2009. This was before the Blind Driver Challenge of 2011. There are 2 to 
3 people in a pod. They hang out for the whole week. The mentor keeps 
them together. Wakes them up too. This was a very fast 5 days. Mary was 
a mentor this year and also in 2009. One night, she taught self-defense. 
There was some Hip Hop. Some dancing. Yoga. Every night had something 
fun and exciting to do. They learned social stuff.

8:23 PM: Mary finished.

8:23 PM: attendance was taken.

Members present:

Evelyn Valdez - President.

Shafeka Hashash - Vice President.

Ben Vercellone - Secretary/Treasurer.

Greg Rivera - board member.

Melissa Hurff - board member.

Mark Coleserto.

Mary Fernandez.

Therese Lombardi.

Danny Romero.

Carlos.

Sharon Cortezano.

Alex Kiser.

Marie Lomax.

Sara Weinstein.

Anthony rayes.

8:27 PM: Evelyn talked about the upcoming iPhone demonstration to be 
held on Saturday, September 17. Said we will talk after Anthony Rayes.

8:27: Anthony Rayes spoke of his Youth Slam experience. There were 
interesting people. Biology activities. Things for the present and 
future. He is a sophomore. He is a first timer for youth slam. Covered 
youth slam. More details about actual experience. Overwhelming 
experience. Fun and informative. Great opportunities. There was an 
antibiotic activity. There was the engineering track. He says this was 
great. People were getting their hands dirty. They built a hover craft 
this time. They worked with robotics. There was social time. He got to 
meet other cool people. This is great if you love tech. There were demos 
and tutorials. He experience living in a way that was self-reliable and 
independent. He, however, had to wake up his mentor.

8:30: Evelyn asked what he walked away with. He said independence and 
self-confidence. He knows he did it and can do it again. He got a Good 
sense of self confidence. Should someone start out as a mentor or a 
participant? He said participant first. Then mentor. These are 2 
different sides.

Sarah asked what the latest technology was. Anthony said it was the 
latest version of JAWS and Zoom Text. He also went on a Jernigan 
institute trip. This was an amazing tech tour.

There are new apple products. Apple stuff is the easiest he says. He saw 
it for himself. He got to see a device that can tell you what you are 
looking at. It works with colors. It is related to the retina. One track 
at Youth Slam got to design app for iPhone or iPad.

8:37: Evelyn turned it over to Greg. What is going on Saturday September 
17? This is the iPhone demonstration. Will be at the location of the 
central Jersey chapter, and will take place after their meeting. This 
will be a demonstration, and Greg Rivera, Danny Romero, Ben Vercellone, 
and likely Anthony Rayes will demonstrate how this phone is helpful and 
easy to use. It will be about IPhone, accessibility, and cool apps. 
Things like GPS. Reading money. How to use phone. Other things. It will 
be held in Metuchen. Evelyn said she will post information. Jerilyn 
Higgins invited us to do this. Thank you.

Evelyn said this will be at Halie's pub maybe. Not sure of name. The 
division meeting starts at 9:30 AM. It will end by noon. There will be 
lunch, but each person will have to pay.

The First LEAD meeting will be on September 25, at the Crown Plaza Hotel 
in Clark.

The NJ State convention will be at the same location. It is from Nov 11 
to 13. It is the 35^th annual NJ state convention. We want to have a 
student track. We will have our Annual NJABS business meeting there. Our 
student representative used to be Karen Anderson. Now we have a new rep. 
Her name may be Brily.

Danny and Melissa got back from the building leadership event in Baltimore.

8:43: Melissa Hurff talked about this experience. She learned more how 
to be a leader. Learned ways to get new members in division. How to make 
every member feel important. Maybe we will get a committee started in 
our division. This can be really neat. They did some fun activities. 
They used chainsaws blindfolded. They used the Simulator for the blind 
driver. Melissa drove 20 miles per hour.

Evelyn thanked us. Remember that September 17 is the iPhone 
demonstration. Anthony offered his assistance. He will join Greg. 
Anthony is a developer for apple.

8:47 PM: Call ended.

Respectfully submitted,

Benjamin Vercellone

NJABS, Secretary/treasurer.