[blindkid] Science Events at Schools for the Blind

Peter Donahue pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com
Mon Apr 23 17:59:25 UTC 2012


Hello everyone,

    Here's an idea for those of you who have children enrolled at schools 
for the blind. Like other schools these institutions participate in athletic 
competitions along with music and scouting events. I was pleased to learn 
that the annual music festival that occurred each year at a particular 
school for the blind has been given new life and is once again an annual 
activity involving a number of such schools on the east coast. I'm not sure 
if similar events happen in other parts of the country these days.

    STEM subjects are directly related to a students accademic studies. If 
schools for the blind can get their student bodies and staff together for 
events like those mentioned above why not encourage them to partner with 
NOPBC and the NFB Jernigan Institute to hold an annual STEM-related event 
similar to the music festival or other activities. Since Science and Math 
are core subjects I'd think they would have less difficulty securing funding 
for such an activity.

    One idea would be an annual Science fair. Each school would choose a 
science project to work on during the year. The schools would gather at a 
particular location for a weekend or so to exhibit their project, discuss 
the science behind what they did, and participate in other STEM-related 
activities and events and have the chance to meet successful blind roll 
models. There could be activities for parents of blind children during these 
events as well.

        There could be events for primary and secondary school-age children 
and their parents. Had such an activity been available when I attended Oak 
Hill and Perkins I know I would have been a regular participant. Here's 
hoping our NOPBC Affiliates will discuss such an activity withschools for 
the blind around the country and an annual "STEM Fest" will become a yearly 
event along with the other interscholastic activities these schools offer to 
their students.

Peter Donahue





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