[Nfbnet-members-list] Louisiana Center for the Blind Summer Offerings--2017 STEP and Buddy Programs

Tue Jan 17 01:16:53 UTC 2017

2017 SUMMER TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT PROJECT (STEP) Program
STRIVING FOR SUCCESS

IMG_1785

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 
participate in 40 hours of work experience 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, swimming, mall 
excursions, and various other outings--will 
foster self-confidence and independence in blind 
teens. During the week of July 10 through July 
16, 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 and 
youth-oriented social and other activities. 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.

Anne

Training will begin June 18 and conclude August 
12. We recognize that there may be some overlap 
between the start and conclusion of our program 
and school district dates. If accepted, we are 
happy to coordinate with a student’s school 
district in this regard. Please visit 
<http://www.louisianacenter.org>www.louisianacenter.org 
to learn about more program specifics and to complete an application.
Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that 
every applicant will be granted enrollment, and 
applicants must have an open case with their 
state’s vocational rehabilitation agency or other 
funding entity to cover program costs.

Questions? Please call our Director of Youth 
Services, Eric Guillory at 800-234-4166 or email 
him at 
<mailto:eguillory at louisianacenter.org>eguillory at louisianacenter.org. 
"Together, we are changing what it means to be 
blind." Check out STEP and find out how.

[]

BUDDY PROGRAM 2017
Putting the Pieces Together

[]

Come and join us for a summer of fun and learning!

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. Classes in 
access technology expose students to available 
mainstream and adaptive solutions. Daily living 
skills instruction promotes 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 field trips.

[]

The combination of hard work and fun activities 
will provide a rewarding experience that children 
will cherish. Involvement in the Buddy Program 
helps them realize that it is not blindness that 
holds them back. Rather, it is the negative 
attitudes and misconceptions about blindness that 
may prevent blind children from reaching their 
potential. At the close of the 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.”

The Louisiana Center for the Blind will sponsor 
one session of the Buddy Program in 2017. Program 
dates are July 23-August 12. We recognize that 
there may be some overlap between the conclusion 
of our program and school district dates. If 
accepted, we are happy to coordinate with a 
student’s school district in this regard.

Perhaps we will have the opportunity to work with 
your child this summer. We know it will be a 
memorable experience for both you and them. All 
interested families should visit 
<http://www.louisianacenter.org>www.louisianacenter.org 
for more details and to apply. Please also feel 
free to contact our Director of Youth Services, 
Eric Guillory before April 17. Please email Eric 
at 
<mailto:eguillory at louisianacenter.org>eguillory at louisianacenter.org 
or call 800-234-4166.

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 $1,000which is all-inclusive save 
for transportation to and from the program. The 
fee for Louisiana students is $500.

[]

Eric Guillory, Director of Youth Services
Louisiana Center for the Blind
101 South Trenton Street
Ruston, LA 71270
Voice: 800-234-4166
Fax: 318-251-0109
Twitter: ericguillory
Skype: brllovingdad
<http://www.louisianacenter.org/>www.louisianacenter.org

“Together, we are changing what it means to be blind.”

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1926f8f4.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 38491 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1926f903.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 31940 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1926f913.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 71475 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1926f922.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 57630 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1926f932.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 48232 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment-0004.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1926f942.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 28064 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20170116/c7c49144/attachment-0005.jpg>