"Supporting
Students; Encouraging Leadership."
Home About
Us Affiliates
Committees
Contact Us
|
"Supporting
Students; Encouraging Leadership."
|
The Student
Advocate
Fall 2000
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Officers and Governors Introductions
Right on Time - by April Shinholster
ACB Resolution 2000-45
Give NABS a New Look
NABS Meets in Chicago
Tribute to MIUSA - by Jessica Lorenz
Capturing the Moment - by Richard Rueda
Leading the Procession - by Carmella Broome
Bumping Around on Capitol Hill - by Eric Bridges
Announcements
Do I have Any Volunteers? - by Carmella Broome
Give Us A Stronger Voice
President: April D. Shinholster, 2000 Goldsworth Valley Dr Apt W6 Kalamazoo
MI 49008 - Phone: 616-387-5708 - x99shinholst@wmich.edu
Vice President: Matthew Van Fossan, 317 Cedar Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15237
- 412-364-6050 - mattvcool@aol.com
Secretary: Enjie Wu, (School) The University of Toledo 3025 W. Bancroft
Street Toledo, OH 43606 - phone: 419-545-5253 (cell phone) - (Home)1683 Hidden
Oak Trail Mansfield, OH 44906 - enjie.wu@utoledo.edu
Treasurer: Jeremy Johansen, 505 Cleveland Ct. Davis, CA 95616 - 530-756-6970
- ujohaj00@umail.ucsb.edu
Editor, Student Advocate: Richard A. Rueda, PO Box 223 Whittier, CA 90608-0223
- (Home) 562-789-9525 (Work) 562-698-7576 (Fax) 562-698-4648 - richr@surfside.net
Elected Governor: Keith Wessel, 902 Shurts St. Urbana, IL 61801 - (Work)
217-333-2117 (Home) 217-344-5604 or 217-355-2408 - keith@wessel.com
Appointed Governors:
Mike Gravitt, 2976 Voelkel Ave., #13 Pittsburgh, PA 15216 - (Home) 412-344-2313
(Work) 412-778-6906 - gravitron@prodigy.net
Stephen Speicher, 825 M St., Suite 216 Lincoln, NE 68508 - (Home) 402-489-7836
(Work) 402-475-8355 - sspei@inebraska.com
National Office Liaison: Terry Pacheco, American Council of the Blind, 1155
15th Street NW, Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 - (Work) 202-467-5081 800-424-8666
(Fax) 202-467-5085 (Home) 301-608-3346 - tpacheco@acb.org
INTRODUCTIONS
April Shinholster, NABS President:
I am a graduate student at Western Michigan University studying Blind Rehabilitation Counseling and Teaching. I have been in this program for a year, and it takes approximately two and half years. My undergraduate degree was from the University of Alabama in English and history. I enjoy athletics immensely. Until I moved to Michigan, I was a competitive water skier, but I find it a bit chilling here. So, I started playing goalball. I find it a fantastic team sport for visually impaired athletes. I also really enjoy reading just about anything.
This summer I attended the Seeing Eye. I came home with a beautiful black lab golden cross named Osborne. He looks like a black lab with feathers on his tail. He is a phenomenal guide. I hope to meet many of you at next year's convention.
Matthew Van Fossan, Vice President:
Hey everyone,
I was born in Pittsburgh nearly nineteen years ago. I've lived in Pittsburgh my entire life, but I cling desperately to the idea that I won't die in Pittsburgh as well. In the fall of 2000, I will be starting as a freshman at Oberlin College in Ohio. As for a major, the only thing I have ruled out thus far are the natural sciences. I love literature, history, music, computers, and languages, so perhaps my major will include any combination of those.
Regarding my eye condition, when I was a few weeks old I developed cataracts on my eyes and was later diagnosed with glaucoma. I have had a retinal detachment, a corneal transplant, and a lot of other less impressive-sounding surgeries. As a result, I retain about 20/600 vision in my right eye, and I go out of my way not to take it for granted.
I have had a short but exceedingly rewarding relationship with ACB and NABS, and I hope to continue my involvement with those organizations in the future. I believe any organization is only as effective as its members, and in this case I think NABS has the potential to be an inginuative, impactful, and important group.
Enjie Wu, Secretary:
Hi, my name is Enjie Wu. I was born in Canton, China. I will be twenty-one in August. Like most of you, I am legally blind. I have atypical retinitis pigmentosa. I have a limited field of vision, night-blindness, and a visual acuity of 20/400. My philosophy is that being blind is not a handicap, but a chance to overcome challenges. Hey, being blind does have its advantages. I am attending the University of Toledo in Ohio. I am going into my third year. My majors are speech/language pathology and music. My plans include obtaining my masters degree in speech/language pathology and afterward, working with young patients. My goal is to work at a children’s hospital or pediatric clinic. My music degree is more for leisure. In music, my concentration is in vocal performance. I love to sing, play piano, and listen to different types of music. Aside from classes, I also am involved in some clubs. I am the president of the University of Toledo’s Ability Club, which is a club dedicated to disability awareness. Other groups I am involved in include: Toledo Campus Ministries, Mu Phi Epsilon (a music organization), and Concert Chorale. I also enjoy hanging out with friends, talking on the phone, and checking and sending e-mail.
I am honored to serve as Secretary of NABS for the upcoming year. I plan to work with dedication and commitment. I believe that if each one of us does our part and all make some effort to work together for the sake of NABS and ACB, we will succeed as an organization.
Jeremy Johansen, Treasurer:
Jeremy Johansen is the newly elected Treasurer for the National Alliance of Blind Students. He has been a member of NABS since 1995. Currently, Jeremy is a senior at the University of California at Santa Barbara, studying Mechanical Engineering. He is particularly interested in dynamics and controls, as applied to robotic systems. Despite the difficulty of the field, Jeremy excels in the challenge. In particular, Jeremy has been honored by receiving Engineering Dean's Honors List during the 1999 and 2000 academic year.
Between his studies, Jeremy stays active in several of the clubs and extracurricular activities on and off campus. He is currently Vice President for the Mechanical Engineering honors society, Tau Pi Sigma, and secretary for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). In these clubs, a highlight last year was leading a college success workshop for high school students. He also continues to enjoy 4-H project leadership in his hometown, Davis, California and traveling with his family.
Richard A. Rueda, Editor-The Student Advocate:
As my second appointment as the Editor of the Student Advocate has been bestowed upon me, I would like to take just a moment to thank those individuals who have made the Student Advocate the success that it has been. Over the past year I have come to appreciate and learn the many duties that it takes to be an effective and responsible editor.
This fall I will be attending California State University of Los Angeles where I will be obtaining my B.S. in rehabilitation counseling services this December. Aside from attending classes, I work with a small non-profit organization for blind teens and adults called the Community Alliance for the Blind. Serving as the agency’s Activities Director, my responsibilities include planning, coordination trips, classes and volunteer recruitment. Additionally, I’ve been actively supporting NABS and the local affiliate, Blind Students of California for close to two years now. Every moment spent working with these respectable entities has been a tremendous learning opportunity.
Mike Gravitt, NABS Appointed Governor:
My first involvement in the National Alliance of Blind Students, as well as the American Council of the Blind, was in July of 1995 when I attended the ACB national convention in Greensboro, North Carolina. At that time, I was elected secretary of NABS. Then, in 1996, I was elected president. After being president for two years, I have been serving as one of your governors ever since, and currently in my third year of doing so!
I think I can bring some interesting perspectives to the organization, and a network of contacts to make things happen. I feel that having experience to fall back on for the current leadership is important, and I am glad to be working with Steve Speicher and Keith Wessel to make this happen! I look forward to staying involved in NABS for many years to come!
Terry Pacheco, ACB National Office Liaison:
Since April, Richard, Steve, Mike and I have been working together for a year now, and with the added vitality Matt, Enjie, Jeremy and Keith bring, I expect you will see plenty of exciting changes and growth within NABS during the upcoming year. This year’s board has a full agenda, and I will be working with them all in every way I can to help with the tremendous membership growth NABS is experiencing in several states throughout the country. ACB’s leadership of tomorrow is working in NABS today!
During the annual strategic planning meeting of NABS, I was attempting to identify an issue that would unite our organization. I wanted this issue to be one that we could hold up to others as positive action that we were taking on the behalf of all students with visual impairments. I tentatively broached the subject of Educational Testing Services (ETS). The eruption of angry descriptions of bad experiences left no doubt that testing accommodations was a topic that needed serious attention.
Undoubtedly, NABS was not the only organization that thinks that standardized testing environments are not exactly accessible. In July the Justice Department filed a suit in the Federal Court of Des Moines, Iowa against the American Association of State Social Work Board alleging that the afore named association had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The department also filed a proposed court order that spelled out an agreement with the AASSWB. If the association and courts agreed to this court order the Justice Department would drop the lawsuit.
The conflict with the AASSWB began when Douglas Elliot, a social worker with 20 years of experience who was blinded in Vietnam, attempted to take the licensing examination in order to be certified in the state of Iowa. He was told that he could not use his own reader and was assigned one instead. Allegedly, this individual had never read for a person with a visual impairment. He stumbled over technical terms, did not record Elliot’s answers correctly and became exhausted. The Justice Department first made an out-of-court settlement with the AASSWB, but recently found that the association was not compliant with this agreement. Therefore, the proposed court order was implemented because an in-court agreement can be policed much easier than an out-of-court settlement.
This settlement stated that the AASSWB would be required to: adopt written policies to ensure that readers are proficient in reading for people with vision impairments, are familiar with the examination and have worked with the test-taker prior to the examination; pay for the reader and test-taker to work together to establish personal familiarity and to allow the reader to become acclimated to the test-taker’s style of receiving information; work with the test-taker if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the reader will not be satisfactory; appoint an ADA coordinator to answer questions from people with disabilities who register for examinations and from employees within the company; train all employees regarding the new policies, and publicize the policies so that test-takers with disabilities will clearly know their options; and pay $1,500 to the individual who filed the original complaint, Douglas Elliot.
The Justice Department also recommended that these procedures be adopted by other administrating bodies of standardized tests.
As a result of NABS’ discussion of the testing accommodations through ETS, a resolution was drafted and brought to the floor of the convention. To my knowledge this is the first resolution ever presented by our affiliate. It was passed unanimously. In the post- convention board meeting of the ACB, Resolution 2000-45 was given a Priority 2 status by the national office. It was stated that time was needed to establish the exact relationship that NABS would play in conjunction with the national office. I feel that our timely passage of a stance on this issue will benefit a tremendous number of students with visual impairments. The entire text of the resolution is printed below.
Establishes that ACB will join with the National Alliance of Blind Students (NABS) in investigating the accommodation procedures, and plans for enhancement of those procedures, for tests administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS). The resolution further calls on ACB and NABS to then approach ETS with the findings of the investigation and urge that ETS implement specific actions that will insure full and equal access to all ETS testing. The resolution further urges the United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights to amend its regulations to prohibit test administrators, such as ETS, from flagging test scores as "non-standard" when such tests have been administered using reasonable accommodations.
WHEREAS, blind individuals who have taken computerized tests administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS) have had difficulty obtaining these tests in alternate formats; and
WHEREAS, these computerized tests could be, but are not, compatible with adaptive hardware and software used by students who are blind and visually impaired; and
WHEREAS, large numbers of students have had tremendous difficulty obtaining the appropriate accommodations required to ensure a non-discriminatory and level playing field; and
WHEREAS, tests administered by ETS in non-standard testing environments are marked as such on all score sheets; and
WHEREAS, ETS has approached the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) seeking recommendations concerning accommodations; and
WHEREAS, NLS and ETS have been less than forthcoming in informing students, educators, or any party concerned with access to examinations, as to what technical assistance is being provided, or what specific plans are under consideration to remedy the lack of equally effective communications for testing;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 8th day of July, 2000 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, that this organization joins with its special interest affiliate, the National Alliance of Blind Students (NABS) in investigating the accommodation procedures, and plans for enhancement of those procedures, for tests administered by ETS.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon completion of the investigation, ACB and NABS will approach ETS with the findings and urge ETS to implement specific actions that will insure full and equal access to all ETS testing;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge the United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights to amend its regulations to prohibit test administrators, such as ETS, from flagging test scores as "non-standard" when such tests have been administered using reasonable accommodations.
Adopted.
NABS officially announces its logo design contest. We are looking for a design that can be used both on the cover of the Student Advocate and on the back of a T-shirt that would be sold at this year’s convention. Members of the NABS board will judge all entries and choose the winner. The winner will receive a $50.00 cash prize and a T-shirt with the new design on the back. We are looking for a design that represents the every-day life of a student. Let your creative juices flow and get a bit richer.
Over Labor Day weekend seven members of NABS met in Chicago. While we managed to do quite a bit of sightseeing, we also conducted a productive board meeting. Before I relate to you the details of this meeting, I need to thank everyone who made this trip the success that it was. Sam Joehl was a wonderful host in his home city. Thanks for introducing us to Joe’s Bebop Café. The music was terrific. Richard Rueda arranged our accommodations and was the professional scout of the weekend. If I took the time to thank each person for everything he/she did, we would not be able to print this article. So, I just will say that the weekend could not have been what it was if everyone had not worked together and made compromises.
The first order of business of the board meeting was to complete that tedious task of editing all the minutes from this year’s convention. Everyone was extremely patient, and the minutes are now in the capable hands of our secretary, Enjie Wu. The other two major topics of this board meeting were the Student Advocate and the technological aspects of NABS.
I made the proposal that only two issues of the Student Advocate be published a year. These two issues would be distributed according to the academic year rather than by the calendar year. The amount of words of the third issue would be divided among these two larger editions. This new method of distribution has many advantages. It would eliminate the need to have school and home addresses for the distribution list. It would also tremendously cut down on the production cost of our publication. Since our bylaws mandate that three editions of the Student Advocate be published a year, we need an amendment making this suggested change official. Please show your support for this change by drafting an amendment and sending it to our secretary 30 days before the commencement of next year’s convention. See the front cover for Enjie Wu’s address.
The second order of business at this board meeting was the technological details of NABS. Jon Avila expressed a desire for someone else to take responsibility for the web page. Sam Joehl was approached and accepted this position. Jon and Sam are now working together to make this transition as smooth as possible. The idea of moving the NABS-L from its current server to E-groups was explored and rejected. Topica was suggested as a possible alternative. The technological needs of people with low vision often greatly differ from those members who are totally blind. We want to avoid neglecting the needs of any of our members. We decided to implement a new committee to deal with all of these details. This committee will be called the Electronic Communications Committee. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Vice-President Matt VanFossan. His contact information can also be found in the front cover.
The position of Webmaster requires a lot of dedication and hard work. I would like to see this position made equal to that of the editor of the Student Advocate. This matter would also need an amendment to make it official.
Our next board meeting will be in Des Moines at the midyear meeting of the ACB Board and Affiliate Presidents, on Martin Luther King weekend. If you have any concerns that you would like to bring before the board, please let me know. Again, thanks to everyone who made our weekend in Chicago the success that it was.
Article reprinted from “Over the Rainbow”, Mobility International USA's semi-annual newsletter.
Jessica, 21, studies at San Francisco State University and participated in the MIUSA 1999 Costa Rica Leadership, Diversity and Disability Rights Exchange.
We were 21 people from various backgrounds who suddenly found ourselves in some very unusual circumstances, and the way that we coped was to form a group. The memories and the friendships that we carry with us from MIUSA's 1999 Costa Rica exchange will last forever. To help capture it all, I wrote this piece to share at the talent show and closing ceremonies, which marked the end of our Costa Rica exchange.
Maxine, our group translator, explained early on that there are five stages in forming a group.
Stage I is "groping." That's when none of us knew what to expect from one another, or what we ourselves would have to put forth. For instance, our unexpected visit to the Panama City airport due to a storm in Costa Rica demonstrated that every last one of us could sleep on the floor. Dew might have needed help lying down, Pam might have needed help getting back up, but we made it work. We played 20 questions, dined on cheese sandwiches and learned more about each other than is possible in any other circumstance.
Stage II of forming a group is "griping." We've all done our fair share of this one too. Hats off to Melissa Mueller and Tina Singleton, Exchange Coordinators, for listening to it all. It's not easy to travel in a group of 21 people, each with varying abilities. At first, when it was time to get onto the bus, Frank couldn't find the bus because he couldn't see it. Kerri couldn't get onto the bus independently because she can't walk, and Jeb didn't even know the announcement had been made to board the bus because Jeb is Deaf. We were going nowhere fast. Yet, once we learned more about one another's abilities, things suddenly became easier. Zach's eyes don't work, but his body and ears function fine. Zendrea can't hear, but she can see and walk. David speaks Spanish, can see and hear, but he can't walk. It was easy to get frustrated, but luckily we moved into Stage III before griping overpowered us.
Stage III is "grouping." In this stage delegates who walk became expert wheelchair disassemblers, haulers, lifters and toters. Those who could see became guides, and we all tried to learn more sign language to explain what was happening to the deaf delegates. Tiffany, Zendrea and Jeb, who were the sign language interpreters and deaf delegates, are all great teachers with amazing patience.
During our last week in Costa Rica, we visited the Bri Bri women in Puerto Viejo. It had rained the night before and the hill going up to their house was steep, slick and muddy. It was awesome watching our group maneuver together. I'm still not quite sure how we did it, but every single one of us got to the top of that hill with very little drama. As individuals, that hill would have been tricky to climb, but as a group we were able to do it. Tracee still has the mud in her wheels and Francesca's clogs will never be the same but afterwards, Joann, the Logistics Coordinator, found yet another great Costa Rican restaurant where we had a fantastic lunch--a good thing because our group seemed to function better when we were all well fed.
Stage IV is "grinding." Now this is not the dance that Frank did for us one night. Grinding is each one of us doing what it takes. Before we left orientation in Los Angeles, we sat down as a group and discussed what we wanted to accomplish on our program. Andre wanted to make new friends. Julie and Aaron wanted to learn more Spanish and we all wanted to learn more about what it is like living in Costa Rica with a disability.
The information exchange that our group participated in was incredible. Sometimes it felt like the same thing was said 21 times in 21 different ways but the truly awesome thing was that we were able to communicate ideas. I sat in awe watching Tiffany communicate with Veronica, although they both use a different type of sign language. Veronica uses Lesco (Costa Rican Sign Language) and speaks only in Spanish. Tiffany uses American Sign Language (ASL). Tiffany could translate what Veronica was saying into ASL while Cathrael, one of our ASL interpreters turned ASL into English, and Maxine translated that into Spanish. It was challenging, but it was accomplished. Knowledge is an invaluable tool, and we gained insight and perspective not only as it relates to the Costa Ricans, but about ourselves as well.
Stage V, the final stage, is "grieving." That's when people like me write things like this. We give our good-byes and hugs and our "see you laters" and waves, and realize that the times when we felt the worst were the times in which we learned the most. The exchange experience was long and hard, and at the same time a whole lot of fun. None of us will ever forget the proverbial suitcase with the amoeba inside it Ari came up with in the fantasy game, or the "Una Sardina" song that Herman taught us on the camping trip, which stayed with us for the rest of the exchange.
MIUSA's motto is an appropriate way to sum up the trip: "Challenge yourself and change the world." We pushed the envelope as they say, and I don't know about anyone else, but I learned that my maximum capacity is a lot greater than I ever knew. We learned so much and were positively changed. I know none of us will ever be the same.
This program was generously funded by the DeWitt Wallace/ Youth Travel Enrichment Fund, established in Community Funds by the co-founder of The Reader's Digest Association.
Editor’s Note: To learn more on international travels with Mobility International please correspond to the following addresses
Mobility International USA - National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange
PO Box 10767 Eugene, OR 97440
Tel: 541-343-1284 (voice/TTY) Fax: 541-343-6812
Email: Clearinghouse@miusa.org
Web: www.miusa.org/
Although I am now a senior in my last half year of college, I have only been involved with NABS and ACB for about a year now. Over the past year I have gained an enormous amount of insight on advocacy issues for the blind, have learned of student needs, met a great number of folks who I now can proudly call good friends and have participated within NABS, ACB and locally in California to learn, play and advocate for ourselves.
During the summer of 1999 at the last possible moment I decided to attend and participate in the National convention here in Los Angeles. This is where a great many people, issues, and ideas were greeted and shared. The convention not only provided for a time of sharing ideas, listening and participating in student seminars, and assisting with others in national projects, but it also offered the opportunity to socialize with terrific insightful individuals from several cultural backgrounds. The Student Welcome party allowed for new and returning NABS members to talk about the events of the upcoming week, share a story or two and allowed a chance for active members on the NABS listserv to finally meet face to face. Throughout the week, students engaged in several conference sessions, led students discussion seminars, attended the general sessions in a group, visited local sightseeing attractions, and, most importantly, set goals for the coming year for both ourselves, individually and for NABS.
Over the past year alone NABS met in Chicago for a board meeting, re-convened in Washington D.C. for the annual ACB Legislative Seminar and has had several discussions over the Internet and the phone for continued contact with members and potential new students. NABS continues to evolve, expand and recruit blind students nationwide and worldwide for that matter. I could go on about the grand adventures, positive involvement and personal investment that you would be taking by becoming an active supporter of NABS. I could tell you the great many stories that I have to talk of based solely on one years involvement. Instead, I challenge each of you to attend our national conventions, Legislative Seminars and board meetings. You are invited to join in NABS to meet new people, join in-depth discussions, participate in group activities, attend the ACB general sessions and share a couple of laughs.
The benefits of NABS go far beyond the insight I have shared with you in this brief article. NABS President, April Shinholster, along with several of the NABS family will be more than happy to meet and discuss with you in greater detail about the benefits of NABS. I invite you to contact Terry Pacheco, our NABS liaison in Washington, D.C., to have NABS information and contact numbers sent to you.
There are some days we hold in our minds forever. Far too often, those we recall most vividly are related to an especially sad or painful event but we all have another collection of days firmly imprinted in our minds, as well. We hold on to these because they were especially meaningful and beautiful. Many people might put their wedding day or the day their first child was born on such a list. We can look back on this set of memories and recall how good we felt during those moments. We mentally conjure up the details of these happy times when we feel especially discouraged or frustrated because they help us keep things in perspective and make us smile. These kinds of days don't come along often and that makes them even more precious. Each person's list of such days is as unique as the specific memories themselves but, thank God, we can all probably think of at least a couple examples of such occasions if we try hard enough. For me, the day I received my Associate of Science degree from North Greenville College is near the top of my list of days worth remembering. It was a warm and sunny Saturday in May of 1997. I was standing outside a crowded auditorium among an excited, chattering group of college students wearing identical caps and gowns. My guide dog, Poppy, sat beside me, watching everyone calmly. There were a few students receiving their bachelor's degrees but, since NGC had been a junior college up until recently and only had a handful of new four-year programs, most of us were receiving our two-year degrees. Someone from the dean's office began working her way through the crowd, giving yellow honors cords to deserving students. I knew I had earned one of those. I'd gotten A's in almost every class during the past two and a half years. I kept listening for my name and waiting for her to move in my direction but she walked past me several times. "Maybe she hasn't seen me yet," I thought, puzzled. My dog usually made me pretty conspicuous in a crowd, but the woman was trying to look at her list, locate faces matching the names, and hand out cords all at once. She either hadn't spotted me or hadn't run across my name yet. That had to be it. Finally, she stopped beside me.
"Carmella, you had the highest GPA of all the graduates who'll be receiving associate's degrees today," she said, draping the honors cord around my neck. "That means you'll be at the front of the line and everyone else will follow you in."
Me? I would be the one leading the entire group of graduates? I couldn't believe it and wasn't sure I wanted the responsibility. Poppy and I would be responsible for leading all the other caps and gowns to their seats, and they would all follow us to the stage. I'd been in this auditorium dozens of times, as had Poppy. I knew how it was set up. But what if we goofed somehow? I would embarrass everyone and ruin the whole commencement service. I wasn't about to let my insecurities scare me into declining the honor, though. I had worked hard for those grades and was proud of the recognition they were now leading to. Besides that, this was an excellent opportunity to show an auditorium full of people that a blind person was capable of leading instead of following and could carry out the task independently and with dignity. Well, I wouldn't be doing it entirely on my own, I reminded myself. Poppy and I were a team. Working together, we would navigate the aisles and steps and cross the stage. I was pleased that everyone would get to see her doing what she did best. Since the day I met Poppy nearly a year before, I'd known getting a guide dog was the right choice for me. As I took my place at the front of the line and prepared to follow an usher into the auditorium, I was more glad than ever that I'd made that decision. As the pianist and an ensemble of brass musicians played the traditional "Pomp and Circumstance," we made our way slowly down the center aisle. My heart pounded as I thought of all the eyes focused on us. Family members and friends of the graduates had come from all over to witness their loved ones walk across the stage. The professors who had taught us were also there. My parents and sister were in the crowd of spectators, as were both my grandmothers, and the man I'd been dating for over a year. Somewhere in the audience my friend, Tina, one of Poppy's biggest fans, was also watching. We stopped in front of our seats on the front row and stood while all the other graduates filed in behind us. Everyone was invited to take their seats. Then the choir sang. They soun-ded especially good today, I noticed. I'd been a part of that talented group of singers for three semesters myself and had sung with them at the commencement service my freshman year. Back then, I could only imagine what it must feel like to be graduating and wondered if and when that day would come for me. Now it had. This would not be the end of my career as a student but it was a definite step in the right direction. After what seemed like an eternity of flowery words and speeches, those receiving associate’s degrees were called forward to line up next to the stage. I took a deep breath and prayed that legs which had suddenly turned to Jell-O would support me as I executed the route I'd been told to take. Following my instructions, Poppy guided all of us up an aisle, around the back of part of the auditorium, then down another aisle to the steps of the stage. After a few moments, my name was called.
"Carmella Dawn Broome," NGC's president announced.
"Poppy, forward," I whispered and we made our way up the steps and across the stage to where the dean was waiting with my diploma. "Congratulations," he said, pas-sing it into my hand. I smiled my thanks. Poppy and I crossed the rest of the stage, went down the steps, and squeezed past the music stands that filled most of the open floor between the stage and our seats. Relieved and elated, I sunk back into my chair. We had done it. Poppy and I had successfully completed the job we'd been given. What's more, I had been the first graduate across the stage. I was proud of myself for all the hard work I'd done to get there and proud of my Poppy for doing her part to make the moment possible.
When I looked back on this day, it would mean much more to me than simply receiving a degree, though that in itself was enough to etch the occasion into my mind as a time of pride and happiness. It would also be remembered as a day in which I celebrated a wonderful feeling of independence and self-confidence.
I earned my bachelor’s degree from Columbia International University this past December and will be participating in commencement services in May. Like the last time, I will be wearing a cap and gown and will be surrounded by excited students. My family and friends will be among the proud spectators in an auditorium full of people. There will be "Pomp and Circumstance" and flowery speeches. I will be accompanied by a beautiful, capable guide dog named Maggie. I'm sure it will be another proud day for us and may just find a place on my list of special days worth remembering. No matter how great it is, though, it will in no way diminish the beauty of my last walk down an aisle wearing a cap and gown leading the procession.
Being a 21-year-old college student that has been asked to participate in lobbying on Capitol Hill is a powerful experience to take in all at once. I had this opportunity just a few weeks ago. The experiences on the Hill were exciting and strange at the same time.
Early on a Monday morning the Iowa delegation, of which I’m a part, arrived at Capitol Hill for a long day’s work. Thank God some of these people that I was with knew where they were going because I didn’t have the slightest idea as to where the buildings were located. We began to walk to our first appointment and realized that the buildings weren't marked well. A member from our delegation decided to ask for directions and the woman that he asked retorted, “I work here and I don't really know which way to send you. I can see and I still get lost around here.” We thanked her for her attempt and moved along. We then asked a man who was dressed in a suit and appeared to know where he was going for directions. He said that he could help us out.
Our delegation arrived just in time for our first appointment with a congressman’s legislative aide. This meeting was one of the few dark spots of the day. I think this guy wished that we wouldn't have shown up because he appeared less than happy to speak with us. From the beginning it seemed obvious that this particular man wasn't a world-beater. The "Einstein" didn't even take notes. His retort after every issue that we brought up was, “You have to realize that congress moves at a glacial pace.”
I would've rather slept in late and swallowed a mouth full of tacks than have to sit there and listen to that dork for another minute longer. This was really the only discouraging experience of the day other than the poor signage on the walls of the buildings.
While wandering down a hall, a blind person couldn't find an office door because the doors weren't equipped with Braille signage. The overall inconsistency of Braille and large print signage was quite disappointing. The disabled community was helped out immensely ten years ago with the passage of the ADA, but those who passed it haven't made sure that their own offices are accessible to those who can't see. I think it's rather ironic that these federal buildings have a new Braille system that is going to go into effect in the near future, but the signage for now needs some explaining.
Spots where the Braille will be placed say, “This will be Braille signage.” Great, these spots say this in normal size print so the sighted can know where it’s going to be placed but the blind don't have a clue because they can't see. The federal government makes me laugh sometimes at the impracticality of simple issues such as Braille signage. Though this was frustrating to learn about, the trip was very exciting and educational for me personally.
I was able to speak with legislators about issues that directly affect me everyday. Furthermore, I was able to carry on meaningful dialogue with them. Not many people my age get the opportunity to do what I did. I'm grateful for the opportunity and look forward to doing more of this kind of work in the future.
DISABILITY CENTRAL IS LAUNCHING A NEW DISABLED TEEN E-ZINE!
There is nothing else like this on the web! We are looking for teens with disabilities who are looking to fill positions for writers, editors, marketing and advertising staff. Those interested in part-time employment, please click on the job description below to see the application requirements. If you are interested in applying for any position, drop me an email at: drstein@ disabilitycentral.com. Come join us in this new project and help us make it a smashing success!
Jobs Available:
Science and Technology Writer
Art Director
Deputy Editor Disability News Writer
Marketing & Public Relations
Adapted Equipment Writer Department
Advice Columnist/Relationship Author
Entertainment Writer
E-Zine Editor
Internet Writer & Columnist
Recreation Writer/Columnist
Young Men's Interests Writer
Young Women's Interests Writer
Advertising Sales Specialist
Education & Career Columnist/
Writer
Download Application. The website is www.disabilitycentral.com/
***
Blindskills, Inc. announces the publication of DIALOGUE, A WORLD OF IDEAS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, a quarterly publication. For a sample copy, or to subscribe, call 800-860-4224.
***
CALIFORNIA CANES
In the year 2000 we are building our canes with a new patented process that makes our canes the strongest on the market. These canes will resist breaking and splitting and will have less splintering if broken. These canes are intended for the person who likes to aggressively travel. I'm sure California Canes will meet and exceed any test or challenge you put in front of it. Please see our website for pricing information. Have good and safe travel with the traveler's choice, California Canes.
http://www.californiacanes.com.
***
HANDS AROUND THE WORLD - HANDS LISTSERV
In the words of HANDS's founder, Chris Peterson, HANDS is a support list primarily aimed at blind high school and college students. Pretty much anything goes as long as members feel the need to discuss it. We don't encourage political announcements or commercials, but if they happen they happen. The main thrust of the list is to let blind students exchange techniques for dealing with student life and to allow them to vent their frustrations, but we've been known to discuss a good movie or book from time to time, too. To subscribe to HANDS, type the command SUBSCRIBE HANDS first-name last name in the BODY of an e-message, and send it to: Listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
***
THE AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND (APH) is pleased to announce the addition of a file repository to its Louis Database of Books and Materials in Accessible Media. This pilot project calls for the inclusion of Braille textbook files, publishers' textbook files, and APH educational software products. The Repository currently includes Braille files from APH (in Duxbury format) as well as Braille files in various formats from volunteer, nonprofit, and government agencies. Publishers have shown enthusiasm for the project and are working with us to make it a success. The APH File Repository is available through the APH website a http://www.aph.org/ from the Louis database. Anyone searching Louis will be able to see if a file is available for download. The cost for each textbook file downloaded is $25. APH software products will cost the same as the regular product. The goal of the Repository is to help eliminate unnecessary duplication. What will make this Repository successful? The Repository needs you! By adding files, the Repository will increase in value to everyone. APH will pay nonprofit agencies $50 for any Braille textbook file (below college level) copyrighted post 1993. We are especially interested in getting files for the hard to Braille such as math, science, geography, spelling, and social studies.
***
BRAILLE REVIVAL LEAGUE PACKETS
The Braille Revival League has produced its 2000 Special Edition Braille Literacy Packet containing numerous resources for Braille literacy activities during the year 2000. It includes information on the history of Braille, Braille literacy projects, a sample proclamation, a special set containing over 30 8.5 x 11 Braille character posters, information on the Braille Revival League, a bibliography of books about Louis Braille, an updated Internet resource list on Braille-related websites and e-mail lists, and other useful information. To order a packet, send a $5 check to The Braille Revival League, ATTN.: Kim Charlson, 57 Grandview Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472-1634 (617-926-9198, fax 617-923-0004), e-mail kcharlson@acb.org
***
NOTABLE BLINDNESS RELATED INTERNET SITES WORTH THE VISIT.
http://www.selectrec.net/podsim/blind.html
Oscilloscope for the Blind
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Peter_Meijer/voiscope .htmwhich contains WAV sound samples relating to using an oscilloscope in electronics, while another web page The Sendero Group has licensed the Strider GPS software from Arkenstone as indicated at the Arkenstone web page http://www.arkenstone.org/gps.htm
http://www.senderogroup.com /atlas.htm
Assistive Media has audio readings at http://www.assistivemedia.org
Talking Greetings http://www.TalkingGreeting.com
When I was thirteen, I began writing a "Youth News" column for my church's monthly newsletter. Within a few months, I was also singing at church regularly and helping with the yard cleaning and recycling projects my youth group was involved in. Though I didn't realize it at the time, these were my first experiences doing volunteer work. In college, I became an official volunteer for various organizations. I did work at a local Independent Living Center for people with various disabilities. I also spent a summer visiting with residents in nursing homes. Now, as a college graduate, I am volunteering for a local hotline that provides information, referrals, and crisis intervention. I have enjoyed all of my volunteer experiences and found them very rewarding and educational. They have given me the opportunity to meet some really great people and, more importantly, the opportunity to help and encourage others, something blind people often do not get the chance to do.
What about you? Have you ever considered becoming a volunteer for an organization in your community? You may not think you could be of help to anyone or that you have no skill or talent that would benefit someone else. You may think you won't be welcome as a volunteer because of your blindness. You might believe that the work it would take to make the situation blindness-friendly for you would be more effort than a job you don't get paid for is worth. If any of these reasons have kept you from looking into volunteer opportunities, keep reading. Blind people of all ages and walks of life throughout the United States are involved in all sorts of volunteer projects and find them very rewarding. They've found ways to work around their blindness and have earned respect and acceptance from those who volunteer alongside them. Jen Bose, who is currently living in Boston, is one example. "As a volunteer, I've done quite a few things," she says. "I've dug up rocks and thrown out trash in a park, assembled Braille books, played my flute at an AIDS memorial service, helped fix dinner at a shelter and helped kids enjoy having to go over their spelling words. Occasionally, there's a project I wouldn't be so great at. That's when I try to think of something else I could do for the group, like throw a party or benefit event for them." Ed Foohey is also involved in interesting volunteer work. "For some time now, I have been serving on our neighborhood traffic committee," he explains. "One of my assignments may be of particular interest. I had to organize a small group of neighbors to escort one of our consultants through our part of the neighborhood. We concentrated on showing the consultant particularly difficult crossings for pedestrians and particularly difficult turnings for motorists. Among the recommendations our committee has made is one to reduce the speed limit on residential streets. We have also sug-gested the installation of an audible pedestrian signal at a particularly dangerous intersection where many children have to cross the road on their way to and from school."
Stacy Cervenka, a college student in Moorhead, Minnesota, is involved in a variety of volunteer projects. "I volunteer weekly at both a juvenile detention center and a retirement home," she says. "I'm also volunteering through Lutheran Social Services helping a Somalian refugee family that just moved to the area. At first, I think they were all really surprised that one of their assistants would be blind, but it's worked out great. My blindness has actually come in handy a few times, such as when their case worker wanted them to learn the bus system. Since all the other volunteers could drive, I got the opportunity of showing all eleven of them the bus system. The only time being blind has ever been an inconvenience during volunteer work was when I tutored at the local orphanage. While helping the kids with homework, it would've been great to be able to read their assignments with them. I figured out other ways and the whole thing worked out very well."
Bryan Miller teaches Spanish at the University of Iowa and used this ability while serving as a volunteer in Mexico. "Where I have been most successful as a volunteer is in places where I had a skill no one else had," he observes.
"I have, for example, served as a translator for a program that delivered food, water, clothing and other supplies to communities across the border in Tijuana, Mexico. I was often with a group of gringos who knew no Spanish, and they were forced to rely on my services as interpreter." A number of blind people have worked as phone counselors for hotlines that dealt with such things as crisis pregnancies or AIDS. Priscilla McKinley served as a volunteer for a crisis hotline in her community and makes the following comments about the experience: "I had a directory of addresses and phone numbers loaded on my Type ‘n Speak so I could search and find other resources for clients. I typed and printed all the stat sheets, rather than filling them out by hand. Eventually I helped train others how to take crisis calls. One time, I used my own story of losing my sight during the birth of my son-for a role-playing exercise. One of the leaders said my story was one of the most difficult ones she had heard, and the person in training was actually in tears. I thought it was rather ironic that I who had once actually made that call was now using it to help train others."
Janice Oliveira, from Long Island, New York, does volunteer work related to her love for nature and animals.
"I volunteer at a nature center where I and the person in charge give bird walks. People of all ages and levels of birding experience sign up and we take them through the different habitats and teach them to identify birds and amphibians by sight and sound," she says. "I also recently became a volunteer for Long Island Labrador Retriever Rescue. While I'm up at college, I'll be fund-raising for them; I'll probably do things like ask businesses if I can set up a little table to give out information and pamphlets on lab rescue and spaying and neutering pets, and collect donations to benefit the rescue group. Besides fund-raising, I'll also be helping with the care of the dogs who've been taken in by the rescue organization but haven't been adopted yet."
Some people do volunteer work for blindness-related organizations. "I volunteer at the Regional Braille and Talking Book Library here in Sacramento," Joanie Delzer says. "I rewind tapes, and put them in the correct boxes, check for reject tapes, etc. "Suzie Barker's volunteer experience also involved working with other blind people. "I use to volunteer with an organization that provided recreational trips for the visually impaired," she explains. "I have also been a Big Sister for a child in my community who is visually impaired."
In addition to her other volunteer activities, Janice Oliveira socializes puppies at Guide Dog Foundation on Long Island. Six months after receiving her own guide dog, Aerial Gilbert also began volunteering for her guide dog school. "I began by giving tours and doing local speaking engagements for them," she explains. "In 1992 I won several awards for my volunteer work. This really boosted my self-esteem, proved my value to the organization and made me realize that Guide Dogs for the Blind is where I wanted to work."
Of course, not every blind person who has tried volunteering has had all positive experiences and some have felt unsure of themselves. Priscilla McKinley admits that she was unsure about taking on volunteer work. "In the ten years I had been blind, I had not done any volunteer work," she admits. "I was afraid that it would be too difficult and afraid of how people would react. But I found the experience very rewarding." Jen Bose says she sometimes experienced similar feelings. "Sometimes I felt nervous or inadequate, but I would try to emphasize what I could offer and how interested I was. I learned that there was usually something I could do to be useful." Betty Wade from Tallahassee, Florida, did volunteer work as part of a service fraternity at her university. She describes how she felt when a supervisor doubted her abilities. "The guy who was in charge of the project was like, 'What can you two do?' We tried to tell him that we could paint like everyone else because we were just painting the outsides of the cabins and the fencing. The guy got all snippy and I got mad! The assumption that I couldn't paint made me angry!”
Bryan Miller says it was difficult at times to get people to believe he really could help. "The main thing I have always found is the challenge of getting people to take you seriously," he says. "I do not think many people believe the blind can do manual labor, or clerical work, or the kinds of things that volunteers often do. They think they have to watch you all the time and make sure you don't screw up. I have found this frustrating. I have often had to really wrestle my way into places where I thought I could help, but where those around me never imagined I could."
Lisa Carmelle, who is working on her Ph.D. in Counselor Education at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., notes that the lack of extra time and transportation issues can deter many blind people from getting involved in volunteer work. "Volunteerism is a terrific activity for anyone including the blind but finding the time when you are taking more time to do the usual required activities is not an easy thing to do," she explains. "Scheduling and transportation become huge considerations. I think it is important to validate the concerns of the blind for these issues as they are very real. I have done most of my volunteering in situations where I could become involved such as my church or within walking distance of my home when that was possible. Operating from home is even better as it allows me to be in charge of my time and involvement. I have had to cut back on many of my activities because I frankly do not have the energy to do my studies, run my home and still have time in a real meaningful way to do something extra. In a sense I still do this but I find a way where it can contribute directly to what I am doing. For example, I see four clients regularly and though I am now a nationally certified counselor and can charge I do not. I do this because it allows me to keep practicing my skills and provides free service to a portion of my community."
So, with all the hassles of finding time and transportation and dealing with people who don't think you can really contribute, why bother to become a volunteer? There are some very definite benefits to, and reasons for, getting involved.
"I took some time off from work in order to change careers," Nancy Trzcinski says. "During that time I worked on a telephone hotline for seniors and mentally ill individuals. It was quite an experience. I had a pretty extensive resume, so I really didn't need it, but I felt that while I was deciding on my second career I wanted to be productive." Ed Foohey had a very practical reason for donating his time and energy. "It was my thought that the best way to get my neighbors interested in my traffic problems as a guide dog user was to demonstrate interest in their problems, whether as pedestrians or motorists," he explains. "I would definitely encourage other blind people to go out and do that sort of thing," Stacy Cervenca says, "I think the more the public sees us as the ones helping, as opposed to the ones being helped, the better." Jen Bose agrees and gives reasons for taking on volunteer work that are both personal and practical. "I really think volunteering is important," she says. "The way I see it, volunteering as a blind person is a way for me to help rather than be helped. It's a way to give back to people and places. But on a deeper level, it's a way to give, period. Here we all are, with our own strengths and weaknesses, and on the strengths list, there can be quite a bit of capability to put to use for the sheer pleasure of helping. Generally, I got involved because I was interested in the work I would be given to do and interested in the mission of the organization. I also got involved because it looked like fun and because I met interesting people. Also, I got involved in work that would help me either develop or keep practicing skills I could use later in a better job. " This is exactly what happened to Aerial Gilbert. Her volunteer work at Guide Dogs for the Blind began in 1989 and eventually led to full-time, paid employment there. She became director of volunteers at GDB in 1994. "I manage over 400 volunteers that work on the San Rafael campus," she explains. "I competed with over 100 other applicants. I was picked for the position and I am sure it had a lot to do with my presence on the campus as a volunteer. I highly recommend volunteering not only as a way to meet people and give to the community but as a way to try on an organization and establish a relationship with them." If the prospect of becoming an official volunteer still intimidates you, here's something to think about. If you've ever done something to help someone else without getting paid for it, you already have experience as a volunteer. If you've ever spent a few minutes listening to a friend's troubles, recorded a TV or radio program for a family member, been able to educate someone else about blindness just by answering their questions, or fixed someone a glass of water or a sandwich, you have been a volunteer. These small things may be all you have the time for. But, if you have a couple extra hours occasionally and have a little extra energy to invest, please consider becoming a volunteer in your community. Think about what you're good at or what you like to do or feel strongly about. Start making phone calls or asking around to find out how you might be able to put your talents or interests to good use as a volunteer. You just might make some new friends and learn some valuable skills. Most importantly, you just might make a difference in someone else's life.
Since this is the last issue of the Student Advocate that will be published this year, we want to strongly encourage you to renew your membership. All dues must be in to the national office by March 15, 2001. NABS gets one vote at the national convention for every 25 paid members. We have a great year ahead of us and would love to include you in our activities.
Create YOUR future vision by joining the
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLIND STUDENTS
Today!
Detach and return this application with your check Now!
Name: _________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________ E-mail: _______________________ ___
Student Advocate:
_____Large Print _____Tape _____E-mail
Membership:
(Check One)
_____General $10 yr. _____Junior (under 18) $5 yr.
_____Sustaining $15 yr. _____Patron $25 yr.
Return to:
NABS Liaison,
American Council of the Blind
1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004
Washington, DC 20005
Make checks payable to NABS
Copyright © 1995-2008 National Alliance of Blind Students. All Rights Reserved.