[stylist] opinions on my essay, included in this email
Anita Adkins
aadkins7 at verizon.net
Fri Dec 24 23:29:15 UTC 2010
Hello,
Thanks for the response. Just FYI, a nontraditional student is a student
who is above a certain age, and I also believe there is another reason one
might be considered a nontraditional student, even if one is of the normal
college age, but I cannot remember the exact situation for this. I am 33
years of age, and that makes me a nontraditional student. When I say I
received an excellent academic education at the school for the blind, I am
simply refering to English, Science, Reading, History and that sort of thing
as opposed to actual classes that taught me alternative techniques of
blindness. I did learn and use Braille consistently while in school, and as
I said in the essay, I was introduced to a cane. I had approximately three
years of O&M training as far as I can remember, one of those in third grade
and the other two as a junior and senior. In my opinion, I should have been
in cane travel class during the entire time. I did learn some skills at the
school, such as how to cook macaroni and how too vacuum a floor, however,
and I am greatful for this. However, I have taught myself many of my own
alternative techniques, such as travelling independently. I placed those in
different paragraphs because I did not want to make it seem that the school
was responsible for my not learning and becoming comfortable with
alternative techniques until after adulthood as I am sure the blame could be
spread around all over the place. I say I need to learn more of them
because I am weak in areas, such as independent living, because I did not
attend actual classes for these. I learned some skills while growing up and
while at the school; I learned some stuff, such as extensive use of
assistive technology, including using various screenreaders due to the
necessarity for a webtesting job, etc.; I learned other techniques as a
result of experimenting and experience. Still, I need to learn more
techniques in some areas, mainly travel and IL.
Again, I want to thank all for responses, and please do not be offended if I
do not answer all emails because I do not want to clutter the list in order
to do so. Anita
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2010 6:01 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] opinions on my essay, included in this email
> Hi Anita,
> I'm not sure what you mean when you call yourself a "nontraditional"
> college student. Also, I'm confused by your statements that 1. you
> received an excellent academic education at the school for the blind and
> 2. you didn't get the training in nonvisual skills. It would be
> interesting to know how you acheeved the former without the latter. Also,
> you go on to say that more training would benefit you as an adult. Do you
> mean that it did benefit you when you got it, or do you still feel you
> need more?
> You've had some interesting work experiences, which I'm glad you included.
>
> Best,
> Donna
>
> Read Donna's articles on
> Suite 101:
> www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
> Ezine Articles:
> http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=D._W._Hill
> American Chronicle:
> www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
>
> Connect with Donna on
> Twitter:
> www.twitter.com/dewhill
> LinkedIn:
> www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
> FaceBook:
> www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
>
> Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
> cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
> Apple I-Tunes
> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374
>
> Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project
> Donna is Head of Media Relations for the nonprofit
> Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind:
> www.padnfb.org
>
>
> On 12/24/2010 3:04 PM, Anita Adkins wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> The essay is below, and thanks in advance to all for taking a look.
>>
>> My name is Anita Adkins. I am a blind, nontraditional college student,
>> majoring in Elementary Education with a specialization in Language Arts.
>> However, my end goal is to work in the field of blindness.
>> I will share with you my philosophy of blindness, which, in turn, will
>> result in my summarizing my history. While growing up in West Virginia, I
>> received an excellent academic experience at the West Virginia School for
>> the Blind.
>> As a youngster, I did not receive adequate training in necessary
>> blindness skills. However, I possess a spirit of adventure, which enabled
>> me to learn many blindness skills through trial and error, though further
>> training would certainly benefit me as a blind adult. It was probably due
>> to this and the encouragement from the staff at WVSB, who taught me
>> Braille and introduced me to a cane, that I developed a positive
>> attitude about my ability to succeed as a blind person. I believe that
>> blindness cannot keep me from my goals if I am motivated to reach them,
>> and that I can use alternative techniques to accomplish them.
>> After graduating from high school, I briefly attended college, but I was
>> there for others and not myself. Like my sighted family, I wanted the
>> right and freedom to immediately walk down to the local grocery store or
>> nearest restaurant and obtain employment, a feat unattainable by me as a
>> blind person who was untrained and who was dealing with a society acting
>> out its negative view of blindness.
>> Fortunately, in 2001, I obtained employment at T-base Communications, a
>> company that produced documents in multiple formats. While there, I was
>> able to proofread Braille and to learn how to create WebPages in order
>> for me to test websites for accessibility and usability. Website testing
>> also forced me to become very familiar with assistive technology because
>> it is crucial to know whether it is the website that is inaccessible or
>> the inexperience of the user of the technology. I loved the job because I
>> love Braille and I love to learn, but I bumped up against the glass
>> ceiling, so I decided to apply at Blind Industries and Services of
>> Maryland. I learned how to sew at this company. In addition, I
>> volunteered and then obtained employment as a Rehabilitation teacher in
>> their Rehabilitation Department where I worked with seniors and other
>> students who were blind, teaching Braille, computer technology, cane
>> travel, and independent living skills.
>> A friend and colleague encouraged me to return to school to obtain a
>> degree because it would provide a larger income and a wider range of job
>> possibilities for me. I loved what I was doing, but I decided to take the
>> advice because it enabled me to take wise action toward a future career,
>> though I had not yet defined what exactly this career would entail.
>> Education became my major because I was a teacher already and it seemed
>> the logical choice at the time. It was after much frustration and many
>> classes that I finally realized that I didn't want to simply teach; I
>> want to step into an employment position where I can make a positive
>> impact in the lives of the blind.
>> As I work toward graduation, I educate the world around me by
>> incorporating the topic of blindness in my courses, whether it is
>> teaching Braille, talking to a group of future teachers about how
>> technology can improve the learning experience for students in the
>> general education classroom, or writing papers concerning educational
>> placement for blind students. In addition, I involve myself in the local
>> Lion's Club and attend local NFB meetings when opportunity permits.
>> After obtaining my bachelor's degree, my future plans are to search for
>> meaningful employment in the field of blindness and to begin working
>> toward obtaining certification in vision as part of a master's program in
>> Special Education.
>> As a child, I always wanted to be a teacher and a writer, and my degree
>> will open up many opportunities for me from teaching students, to
>> researching about blindness, to guiding blind students along a career
>> path, to serving in the blindness community by speaking about what the
>> blind can do and beyond.
>>
>> Anita
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
>> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, December 24, 2010 2:35 PM
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] opinions on my essay
>>
>>
>>> Anita, I tried opening your attachment but my computer wouldn't do it.
>>> Can you copy and paste your essay below and I'll take a look at it
>>> Saturday night or Sunday? Thanks, Judith
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anita Adkins" <aadkins7 at verizon.net>
>>> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, December 24, 2010 2:11 PM
>>> Subject: [stylist] opinions on my essay
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hello Everyone. I am considering applying for the NFB scholarship and
>>>> other scholarships for the coming fall semester. I needed to write an
>>>> essay that was 700 words or less for the one, and I am wondering if any
>>>> of you would mind taking a quick peak at what I have written to tell me
>>>> if it sounds okay? It is attached as an Office 2007 document. Thanks,
>>>> and Merry Christmas to all. Anita
>>>> Remember, Jesus Loves You.
>>>> Anita Adkins
>>>> 81 E. Mechanic ST
>>>> APT 207
>>>> Frostburg, MD 21532
>>>> p: 301-689-5212
>>>> c: 301-876-8669
>>>> aadkins7 at verizon.net
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
>>>
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