April 2017

Believe it or not, the forecasts were correct, snow came in Friday night and is still falling Saturday morning of the last weekend in April. So here’s a warm thought. Serena made applesauce from scratch on Thursday in Home Management – peeling, coring, chopping, cooking and putting the mixture through the food processor. She’s got her hands wrapped around the still-warm quart jar of the golden stuff in the photo above, and she’s probably enjoying some of it this morning!

We have a lot of students nearing the completion of their training programs at the Center, and that always means a steady stream of drops and support drops each week. On Wednesday, C.G. did her final and independent drop, getting back to the Center in no time, even though she naturally had no idea where she was when she was “dropped.” Mike did his support drop the same morning, and Friday Chaz went on his support drop too. Both were successful.

Congrats all!

Here’s a pic of some of our seniors at Chili’s last Saturday, after attending the audio-described performance of “Mama Mia” at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The Seniors used it as a fund-raiser, raising over $200. They keep a small donation fund going to help out with the expenses of various Senior activities for those who may come up short – things like bowling or movies. The money raised will go into that pot.

For the audio-described performances, blind and theater-goers check out a small FM receiver and headphones over which they receive the live audio description of action on the stage. DCPA offers at least one performance with this accessibility service, as well as sign-language interpreters, for each production.

It just so happens that Graham graduated today, but we’re posting a sample of his Tech Class project. He of course worked with screen readers and other tools in his Tech Class, but as a songwriter and musician with a fair bit of recording experience, he wanted to try his hand at recording and mixing a music track for his final Tech project.

Tricky enough, but it takes some skill and patience with the computer and screen reader to make it work with audio editting software, and then only a few such applications are actually accessible for blind users. So, that’s what Graham did, selecting Amy Winehouse’s “Love Is a Losing Game,” recording vocals and guitar and multiple tracks for background vocals, then editting and mixing … Well, here’s a snippet, just to give you the flavor.

Yes, it’s time to start getting the garden ready for the 2017 growing season! Tuesday morning some of our Colorado Master Gardeners from the Arapahoe County 

Extension Office came by to start getting our Legacy Garden area ready for planting next month, clearing out and cutting down all manner of last year’s growth. Zach, our student from Montana, couldn’t pass up the chance to be outside on such a lovely morning.

In the photos below, he takes the stalks of Russian Sage to task, making way for new growth this year. The Russian Sage has a great scent throughout the summer, and is just one plant of many that offer odors, from savory to sweet in our Legacy Garden. And we can’t forget about the great veggies and herbs that we’ll be planting soon!

The weather’s been great, so Jen took her Braille classes outside one day last week. They took turns reading aloud from a Braille book. Can’t think of a more relaxing way to learn the critical skills of literacy for the blind!

We want to give a shout out to students and staff and parents from Front Range Christian School, who toured the Center on April 7. It’s become an annual event, with 26 students coming this year, and 8 adults. Robert talked and answered questions, along with the aid of Ceci and Suzie. Then the three each took a group around for a tour.

Thanks for coming – again! See you next year!

Everyone does a project in Wood Shop, and since Ryan is a fitness professional he built a pull-up station in our gym:

Tilapia and ratatouille were served to fifteen with flair for Ceci’s mini-meal, but that was no surprise!

Julie admits she’d barely cooked at all before coming to the Center, but now she’s cooked and served a meal for fifteen!

And no one left hungry … no one!

On Tuesday all four Home Management classes took charge of the deep-fryer, making a “copy-cat” chicken recipe. Watch to see how things turned out!

Editor’s Note: An update from our Youth Services Director Brent Batron about what’s coming tomorrow and through the summer for blind youth.

Usually the second Saturday of each month is the FAST program at the Center, however this month we will be participate in the Pioneers Easter Egg Hunt! Information is below.

Other upcoming events include:
April 21-23
 Winter Outdoor Adventures at Estes Park—This is a great time for kids to spend time with friends that they do not get to see all the time as well as make new ones. There will also be lots of good blind adult role models as well as teachers of blind students. This will be a lot of FUN!
May 13—FAST Program will be all about cane travel. 10 – 2 and lunch is included.
June 5 – 23—Confidence Camp
June 9 – August 4—Earn & Learn High School Program
June 9 – August 4—Summer for Success College Prep Program
June 12 – June 30—Initiation to Independence Middle School Program

Pioneers Beeping Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Location
 The Elks Lodge
 Address
 3850 W 69th Pl
 Westminster, CO 80030
 Phone
 (303) 429-2227

Both Julie and Serena are new to the Wood Shop class, but Chris has them in touch with the beginnings of a refinishing project.

We are excited to feature our former math tutor and continuing collaborator on Science, Technology and Math projects, Jamie Principato, who is a Semi-finalist for the $25,000 Holman Prize for Blind Ambition, offered by the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco. Please watch her application video:

Jamie Principato

Rocket Scientist

Semi-finalist for the Holman Prize

The inspiration for the prize is James Holman, (1786-1857) known in his time as the Blind Traveler. He traveled alone around the world, publishing several books about his travels. Widely known in his day he was regarded as either a marvel or a fraud, he was mostly forgotten after his death until the 2006 publication of Jason Roberts’ biography, A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History’s Greatest Traveler,

We are proud to announce that CCB alum Graham Norwood is a Semi-finalist in the 2017 Holman Prize for Blind Ambition. That’s quite an accomplishment!

The Holman Prize challenges blind individuals to “make the world more accessible, more welcoming, or more exciting” through innovative projects that promote independence and inclusion. Learn more about the Prize and its mission at the website below:

https://www.holmanprize.org