Skip to main content

Science camp opportunity for visually impaired third to sixth graders

Here's another opportunity that has come to my attention. The application process is competitive and academic, however, if your child is chosen the camp is free and the NFB pays transportation for your child and one parent to attend.

National Federation of the BlindJunior Science Academy
July 23-27, 2008Baltimore, MD


For the first time, the National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS) will be offering a Junior Science Academy (JSA) targeting children in grades three through six. This year, with hands-on experiences, tactile materials, and innovative nonvisual teaching methods, the Academy will open its doors to the youngest group of scientific explorers in NCBYS history.

Students: The four-day session will expose blind children to the excitement of science in real-life applications. Students will discover that science can be fun through hands-on instruction, field trips, and interactive activities as they learn about how different aspects of the environment work together to create the world around them.

The JSA will be rooted in the high expectations of the NFB philosophy and will expose participants to a variety of positive experiences. Under the guidance of accomplished blind educators and mentors, students will learn how alternative techniques help make science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects accessible and more engaging. In addition, follow-up activities will ensure that children and their families stay connected to a variety of resources provided by the National Federation of the Blind, including accessing tools for learning STEM curriculum, acquiring better blindness skills, and interacting with positive blind role models.

Parents: Unique seminars and hands-on workshops will take place in conjunction with the children's activities. These sessions will be designed to help parents better meet the academic and social needs of their child. Sessions will include such topics as Braille literacy, orientation and mobility, advocacy, and empowerment. Parents will also be introduced to a variety of beneficial resources available to them and their families.

Cost: All aspects of the program, including transportation, room, and board for one parent/guardian and one child will be provided by the NFB at no cost to participants.

From among those who apply, thirty blind children, grades three through six (ages 8-12), will be selected to participate in the 2008 Junior Science Academy. A parent or guardian will accompany each student and will participate in a corresponding seminar during the child's activities. Accepted students and parents must be able to attend all sessions.

Students and parents who would like to be considered must complete an application (link appears below) and return it to the Jernigan Institute by March 31, 2008. Selection will be based on criteria such as: academic performance, use of blindness skills (e.g., Braille, cane travel, daily living skills, etc.), diversity, and interest. In addition, prospective participants and parents selected for a second round of review will be interviewed by phone.

Junior Science Academy Application
Junior Science Academy Mentor Information and Application
Junior Science Academy Printable Flyer
For more information regarding the NFB Junior Science Academy or the application process, contact:
NFB Jernigan Institute Education DepartmentPhone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2419E-mail:
emakowske@nfb.org

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ratner's Cheesecake

Here's another recipe from Toby! Thanks Toby......and I'll get the others posted soon! Ratner's Cheesecake and plain cookies Ratner's was a Jewish dairy restaurant in the lower East Side of Manhattan. This recipe, from my disintegrating, no longer in print Ratner's cookbook, is the closest I've ever gotten to reproducing the rich, heavy cheesecake my mother made when I was a kid. It's worth the time it takes to prepare and every last calorie. Dough Can be prepared in advance. Makes enough for two cakes. Can be frozen or used to make cookies – see recipe below. 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup shortening 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup butter 2 eggs 3 cups sifted cake flour ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients with hands. Refrigerate 3 -4 hours, or preferably overnight. Filling (for

The next generation with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome

I'm so behind on posting about the trip to Puerto Rico. Since the episode of Mystery Diagnosis on Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome ran right after we got home, it's been a little busy. These, however, are my favorite pictures from Puerto Rico. I know, not pretty senery etc - but these little guys and gals inspire me. They are the next generation of folks with HPS, and if we keep up the hard work, they will live better lives because of it. They motivate me.

The blog is back, I hope

  What started as a way to share news about HPS and what it is like to live with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome has fallen apart badly! There are a lot of reasons for this. Some are related to health. Some are related to time. And some are related to mental health. Finally, the last obstacle was technical. I lost access to my blog. Every time I started to work on regaining access, something interrupted the process and I’d have to start all over again. Before you say it, I know. A blog is so old school. Haven’t you heard of a vlog Heather? Or maybe TikTok? I know my limits. I have a great face for radio. I’m not particularly eager to film myself. When I do, I feel I need to spend extra time putting on makeup or fixing my hair. Yet, often when I have the time to do something like this, it is early in the morning or late at night. I don’t want to “get ready.” I’m having a hard enough time squeezing this in without staging myself. Grin. I’m trying to start with small goals. Right now, I’m h