[stylist] Youth Writing Contest winner, covergirl on community newsletter

Thu Aug 11 17:47:41 UTC 2011

This is so awesome!  Thank you so much for  sharing it!  That story of hers 
captured my heart from the first time I  read it... and all I could think 
of was that at her age I don't think I could  put two coherent words together 
in writing! Congratulations again to  Lindsay!

In a message dated 8/11/2011 12:36:52 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
penatwork at epix.net writes:

Hi  Friends,

Our elementary short story first-place winner Lindsay Adair,  daughter of
NOPBC President Laura Weber, made the cover of the Friendswood,  Texas
community newsletter. I'm attaching a Jpeg for those with some sight.  The
article, according to Laura, is essentially the press release which I  sent
out. I made the time-line changes that I assume they changed and will  copy
it below my name. Also, Laura tells me that the Houston Chronicle will  make
Lindsay "student of the week" later this  fall.

Enjoy,

Donna

Block quote

Blind   Friendswood Student Wins 1st Prize in National Writing  Contest

Lindsay Adair, who turned nine on July 9, has  won first prize in the
elementary short story category of the Youth Writing  Contest of the
nonprofit National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Writers'  Division. 
Lindsay,
a third grader at C.W. Cline Elementary School, is the  daughter of special
education advocate and former NASA biomedical engineer  Laura Weber
(Friendswood) and Jason Adair, an aerospace engineer in San  Diego, Calif.
The announcement was made at the NFB's annual convention in  Orlando,
Florida.

Lindsay, who studies piano, voice and  drama, was born with Leber's
Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), and is totally  blind except for a little light
perception. She enjoys swimming,  trampoline, country music and telling
stories. When she grows up, she wants  to be a baker, author and cat 
breeder.

Her story "The Poor  Teacher" is a romance about a poor teacher and the man
who wants to help  her. It features a classroom proposal and a student who
gets to be flower  girl. 

The annual contest promotes Braille literacy and  excellence in creative
writing. Despite strong evidence that Braille  literacy significantly
improves a blind person's ability to obtain  employment and advanced 
degrees,
only ten percent of America's blind  children are taught to read it.

Contestants were required to  hand emboss their entries using either the
slate and stylus or a Braille  writer (no computer generated Braille was
accepted). Entries were judged on  creativity and quality of Braille. The 
NFB
Writers' Division encourages all  blind people to adopt a "can-do" attitude
and learn the skills that will  enable them to live full, productive and
independent  lives.

"We are all impressed and delighted with Lindsay's  creativity and Braille
skills," said Robert Leslie Newman, president of the  NFB Writers' Division.

Lindsay's mother, Laura Weber, worked  for years as a NASA biomedical
engineer before going back to school for a  master's degree in special
education. She is now working as a special  education advocate. She is the
President of the National Organization of  Parents of Blind Children 
(NOPBC).

Lindsay, who tries to make  her stories as creative as possible, says she
wants everyone to know that  "blind people can live independent lives." 

Lindsay will  receive a cash prize of $25 and the chance to be published in
"Slate and  Style," the quarterly literary magazine of the NFB  Writers'
Division:

www.nfb-writers-division.net/

###

About  the National Federation of the Blind: With more than 50,000 members,
the  National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most  influential
membership organization of blind people in the United  States.   The NFB
improves blind people's lives through advocacy,  education, research,
technology, and programs encouraging independence and  self-confidence. 

It is the leading force in the blindness field today  and the voice of the
nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened  the National Federation of
the

Blind Jernigan Institute, the first  research and training center in the
United States for the blind led by the  blind. 

Block quote  end

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_______________________________________________
Writers  Division web site:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org  <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>

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