[Nfbnet-members-list] BLIND Inc. Summer Program

[David Andrews]

Warm Greetings from BLIND, Incorporated.
Picture of Male PREP student laughing and holding his cane while he 
has his arm around Woody, a movie character from Toy Story, that is 
made from Lego Blocks.
It is once again time to start making plans for your summer. This 
year the PREP,
Post-secondary Readiness Empowerment Program, our eight-week program 
for blind high
school students, will run from June 11 to August 2, 2013.
Picture of A PREP student with a smirky smile, wearing sleep shades 
and cradling his cane in his arm while he leans over to have his 
picture taken while
typing on an Apple Laptop computer.
This exciting summer program is for blind high school students and
is designed to prepare them for academic, employment, and social
success. The PREP curriculum is designed to empower blind youth
with the alternative techniques of blindness they will need to be 
successful in the college and the career fields they choose, and to 
give them the confidence and belief in themselves they need to find 
and keep a job.
Picture of female PREP student wearing sleepshades, sitting at a 
desk, writing Braille with a slate & stylus.
The core classes include Braille reading and writing, independent 
cane travel, adaptive technology,
Career Exploration, and home/dormitory management as well as daily 
seminars where they have the
opportunity to discuss various issues related to blindness and 
develop positive attitudes about themselves
as blind people.
PREP students live in apartments with fellow students and adult counselors.
These counselors and instructors serve as successful and positive role
models. Students shop for groceries, prepare meals, and clean their
apartments as part of their home and personal management training. 
While in career
exploration they learn about note taking, accessible accommodations, 
and disability services
on college campuses. They begin to learn how to live independently 
while still in a
supportive environment. They develop problem-solving skills and come 
to realize that they
will be able to take care of themselves and take responsibility for 
their own futures.
This program is based on a positive view of blindness, that if blind 
people are given proper training and opportunity, they
can be successful in education, find meaningful employment, and live 
full and productive lives.
Picture of male PREP student loading a box of Braille books onto a 
truck to be shipped to Africa.
Traveling to Orlando Florida
Picture of a female PREP student wearing sleepshades, holding her 
long white cane, examining some adaptive technology in the exhibit 
hall at the NFB National
Convention.
\
A female PREP student wearing sleepshades, using her long white cane 
and descending the Grand Staircase at BLIND, Incorporated.
In 2013, PREP students will enjoy the exciting opportunity of 
accompanying BLIND,
Incorporated staff and adult students when we travel to Orlando, 
Florida to attend the
week long national convention of the National Federation of the 
Blind, the largest annual
gathering of blind teenagers and adults in the world. During this 
convention, our PREP
students will join hundreds of other high school and college students 
from around the country
when attending the National Association of Blind Students seminar and 
participate in other
meetings and seminars and learn about new ground-breaking technology. 
This annual
convention is packed full of fun and great learning opportunities and 
experiences.
Picture of a female PREP student wearing sleepshades, using her long 
white cane and descending the Grand Staircase at BLIND, Incorporated.
Throughout the summer the PREP students will also participate in a 
variety of fun activities from Wild
Mountain Water Park and camping, to rock climbing, and shopping at 
the Mall of America.
A female PREP student wearing sleep shades zooming down the mountain 
hillside on the Alpine Slide.
A male PREP student with a big smile on his face while at Mall of 
America, in the process of creating his "masterpiece" from Lego 
blocks at the Lego Store.
For more information: or to complete an application you can visit our website
at www.blindinc.org or call 612-872-0100 (ext. 251), or toll free 800-597-
9558, or e-mail cguggisberg at blindinc.org
Sincerely,
Charlene Guggisberg, Coordinator for Youth and Special programs
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