[Nfbnet-members-list] Louisiana Center for the Blind Summer Programs

[David Andrews]

Buddy Program - Putting the Pieces Together



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 negative stereotypes 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, cookouts, bowling, roller skating, and other outings.

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 
them from reaching their potential. At the close 
of the program, parents are REQUIRED to attend a 
Parents’ Weekend­which 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 role models is how 
the Louisiana Center for the Blind is “changing 
what it means to be blind” for tomorrow’s generation.

This year, the Buddy Program will be held from 
Sunday, July 15 through Saturday, August 4. If 
you have any questions, please call Eric Guillory 
at 800-234-4166 or email him at 
<mailto:eguillory at lcb-ruston.com>eguillory at lcb-ruston.com. 
Interested families may also apply their students 
electronically at <http://www.lcb-ruston.com>www.lcb-ruston.com.

Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that 
every applicant will be granted enrollment.

Please note that the fee for students not from 
Louisiana is $1,000- which is all-inclusive save 
for transportation to and from the program.



STEP 2012

Summer Training and Employment Project – Striving for Success





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 eight-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 the federal 
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, movies, swimming, 
and various other excursions--will foster 
self-confidence and independence in young blind 
teenagers. Students will attend the national 
convention of the National Federation of the 
Blind in Dallas, Texas. 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.

This year, the STEP Program will be held from 
Sunday, June 3 through Saturday, August 
4­including a one-week break in July following 
the NFB’s national convention. If you have any 
questions, please call Eric Guillory at 
800-234-4166 or email him at 
eguillory at lcb-ruston.com. Interested families may 
also apply their students electronically at www.lcb-ruston.com.

Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that 
every applicant will be granted enrollment.

Please note that the program tuition is $6,500- 
which is all-inclusive save for transportation 
costs associated with getting the student to and 
from Ruston, Louisiana at the start and 
conclusion of training. Applicants must have an 
open case with their state’s vocational 
rehabilitation agency or other entity for funding to cover costs.


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