[nobe-l] 2018 Colorado Center for the blind summer programs

[Martin Becerra-Miranda]

Dreaming of warmer weather? Announcing dates for our 2018 Summer Youth Programs!
 
At the Colorado Center for the Blind we offer three summer residential programs for students in middle school, high school and college prep.  The students live with counselors in 2 bedroom, 1½ bath apartments located near the Center and will work on all aspects of managing an apartment.  Students are well supervised by their counselors at a ratio of 3 to 1. The students use public transportation to travel to and from the Center each day. There are usually 2-3 students per apartment and they work together on such things as cleaning, cooking, food storage, grocery shopping, using shopper assistants, budgeting money, and sharing common household chores.
 
We place a big emphasis on challenge recreation activities such as white water rafting, rock climbing, canoeing, martial arts, science and a variety of other events.  The students always have a great time tackling these challenges that are generally perceived as inaccessible to blind kids. 
 
All students participate in discussion groups where they talk about what it's like to be a blind teenager. Topics of discussion may include dating, dealing with parents and teachers, ways to integrate effectively into all school activities, and various social situations. Students learn how to problem solve, self-advocate and take charge of their lives.
 
All programs share the core classes of Braille, cane travel, daily living skills, technology and philosophy of blindness.  As an integral part of our programs, students with residual vision are required to wear sleep shades during the day and during other Center activities.  This provides for all students to focus their attention on learning the non-visual techniques that we teach at the Colorado Center for the Blind.  Self-confidence and belief in one’s capacity takes root most  firmly when the student realizes that their self-worth need not be based upon how much vision they have, but instead on their  effectiveness using either nonvisual or visual techniques.
 
One of the high points of the high school and college prep summer programs is traveling to the National Federation of the Blind Annual Convention. This is the largest gathering of blind people in the world and the students get the chance to meet many successful blind adults and other kids from all around the country.  At the convention, they learn about the newest in assistive technology and other adaptive devices, while experiencing some of the details of staying in a world-class hotel. Students will have an the opportunity to pack for the trip, check luggage and travel through the airport with other blind people using new travel skills.  On the last night of the convention, they will attend a formal banquet and will be expected to dress appropriately.
 
For more information or to download the application, please visit the following link
http://cocenter.org/dreaming-warmer-2018-summer-programs/
 
 
 
Martin Becerra-Miranda
Travel Instructor
Summer Youth Coordinator
Phone: 303.778.1130  Ext:  223
Fax:  303.778.1598
2233 W. Shepperd Ave.
Littleton, CO 80120
 
Take Charge with Confidence and Self-Reliance
cocenter.org
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