[Youth-outreach] Louisiana Center for the Blind Summer Programs

[Eric Guillory]

Greetings Everyone,

Below, please find information on summer offerings of the Louisiana Center
for the Blind. We have two programs. Please do not hesitate to contact me
with any questions. Have a great day!


********************************************************************

Louisiana Center for the Blind
Buddy Program

Since 1989, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has offered an innovative
summer program for blind children in grades four through eight. This summer,
the "Buddy" Program promises to be full of learning opportunities, new
friendships, and fun-filled activities.

Many blind children have misconceptions about their blindness due to the
lack of positive blind role models and to the negative stereotypes about
blindness in society. Unlike other summer programs for blind children, the
"Buddy" Program is directed and staffed by competent blind adults. Classes
in cane travel are taught to instill independence and self-confidence. The
knowledge of Braille enables the blind child to compete on terms of equality
with sighted peers in the classroom and provides a solid background in
spelling and other grammatical skills. Computer literacy classes expose a
blind child to available adaptive equipment. Classes in daily living skills
promote equal participation in household duties such as cooking, shopping,
and cleaning. In addition to learning valuable alternative techniques of
blindness, children will enjoy participating in a wide variety of exciting
activities such as swimming, camping, bowling, roller skating, and horseback
riding.

The combination of hard work and fun activities will provide a rewarding
experience that children will cherish. Involvement in the "Buddy" Program
helps blind children realize that it is not blindness that poses the
greatest problem. Rather, it is the negative attitudes and misconceptions
about blindness that may prevent blind children from reaching their
potential. At the close of the summer program, parents are REQUIRED to
attend a Parents' Weekend. This weekend will allow them to interact with
other parents of blind children and to learn what their children have
discovered about their blindness and themselves. Friendship, training, fun,
growth and interaction between blind children and positive blind role models
is how the Louisiana Center for the Blind is "changing what it means to be
blind."

For more information, contact Eric Guillory at 800-234-4166, extension 3009
or by email at eguillory at lcb-ruston.com.




Louisiana Center for the Blind
STEP Program

Since 1985, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has been changing what it
means to be blind for adults from across America. In 1990, a program was
created to address the needs of blind high school students. The Summer
Training and Employment Project (STEP) Program is designed to introduce
blind teenagers to positive blind role models and to provide participants
with summer work experience.

The 8-week summer program will consist of two components. During the first
part of the program, competent blind counselors will instruct the students
in the alternative techniques of blindness. Classes in Braille, cane travel,
computer literacy, and daily living skills will be taught by qualified blind
instructors. In addition, seminars will be conducted in the areas of job
readiness, job interviewing skills, resume writing and job responsibilities.
The second part of the program will continue all aspects of training and
expand to include an employment dimension. Students will have the
opportunity to work fifteen to twenty hours a week at a local business for
which they will receive minimum wage. The staff will attempt to meet the job
interests of the students. Instructors from the Louisiana Center for the
Blind will be available to provide on-the-job assistance as needed.

The combination of work experience and blindness-related skills--along with
fun-filled activities such as cookouts, swimming, and various other
outings--will foster self-confidence and independence in young blind
teenagers. For a week in early July, students will attend the national
convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Orlando, Florida. This
exciting conference will allow them to meet thousands of competent blind
people from across the country. The students will also have the chance to
participate in a wide variety of informative seminars. At the close of the
program, parents will be REQUIRED to attend a Parents' Weekend which will
enable them to discover how much their children have learned throughout the
summer. The STEP program is designed to provide invaluable work experience,
friendships, opportunities for personal growth, and cherished memories.

For more information, contact Eric Guillory at 800-234-4166, extension 3009
or by email at eguillory at lcb-ruston.com.







Eric Guillory, Director of Youth Services
Louisiana Center for the Blind
101 South Trenton Street
Ruston, LA 71270
Phone: 800-234-4166
Fax: 318-251-0109