[Tall-Corn] One more Jernigan scholarship reminder

Scott Van Gorp svangorp at nfbi.org
Tue Apr 9 02:52:31 UTC 2019


Good Evening Fellow Federationists:

Please see the message below regarding the Jernigan convention scholarship.
Please read this through to the end since it has some valuable information
that you may have missed from the Braille Monitor. Just a reminder that
applications are due by April 15th, and I need to submit a letter on your
behalf as part of your application, so please get in touch with me as soon
as possible! A reminder that the scholarship is for first-time convention
attendees. Please contact me if  you have any questions.

 

The 2019 NFB National Convention is an experience you do not want to miss.

 

Many of those who have attended our national NFB conventions are amazed at
how meeting and interacting with over 3,000 other blind and low vision
convention attendees has positively changed their lives. They not only learn
how the problems of vision loss can be overcome, but also experience the
confidence that comes with solutions.

 

The below article from the Braille Monitor outlines the process for applying
for the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship. 


The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship


 

By Allen Harris

 

>From the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund
Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea of honoring
our former president and longtime leader by establishing a program to
promote attendance at the national convention, where so much inspiration
and learning occur. Here is Allen's announcement about the 2019 Kenneth
Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Program:

 

Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done
so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship
Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps
this July you too can be in the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada,
enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the largest and
most important yearly convention of blind people in the world.

 

The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB
national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a
week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We
attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an
individual is 

granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay all the costs.
Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400 to $500 per
individual.

 

We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor,
someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share
money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in
the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing
experience that is convention week.

 


Who is eligible?


 

Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB
national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.

 


How do I apply for funding assistance?


. You write a letter giving your contact information and your local NFB
information, the specific amount you are requesting, and then explain why
this is a good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below.


 

. You contact your state president in person or by phone to request his or
her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to expect
your request letter by email, and mention the deadline. 

 

. You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state president. He or
she must add a president's recommendation and then email both letters
directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee. Your
president must forward the two letters no later than April 15, 2019. 

 

Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points:

 

. Your full name and all your telephone numbers-label them-cell phone, home,
office, other person (if any); 

. Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address; 

. Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter
president, if you attend a chapter; 

. Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person's phone numbers; 

. Your specific request, and explain how much money you need from this fund
to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you consult with other
members to make a rough budget for yourself. 

 

The body of your letter should answer these questions:

 

How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want to
attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share or
give?

 

You can include in your letter to the committee any special circumstances
you hope they will take into consideration.

 


When will I be notified that I am a winner?


 

If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter
with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The
committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15, but
you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are
chosen:

 

. Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from attending,
you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for roommates to
reduce the cost.) 

. Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by May
31. 

. Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many conventions
and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor. 

. If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a
grant this year. 

 


How will I receive my convention scholarship?


 

At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the
amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be
listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide funds
before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to
assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a
scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or
credit card.

 


What if I have more questions? 


For additional information email the chairman, Allen Harris, at 

 

kjscholarships at nfb.org

 

or call his Baltimore, Maryland, office at 410-659-9314, extension 2415.

 

Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on
the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the
most

 

 

Scott Van Gorp, President
National Federation of the Blind of Iowa
Phone: 515-720-5282
 <mailto:svangorp at nfbi.org> Email

 <http://www.nfbi.org/> Website 
 
<https://www.facebook.com/National-Federation-Of-the-Blind-Of-Iowa-372681823
082570/posts> Facebook 
 <https://twitter.com/nfb_iowa> Twitter 
Live the life you want.

The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day
we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

 

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