No Limits to Learning: A Summer Program That Builds Independence

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Welcome to Blind Abilities.

I'm Jeff Thompson.

Today we're excited to have director of youth programs

from Colorado Center for the Blind Tiffany Moon.

Tiffany?

Welcome to Blind Abilities.

Thank you for having me.

I'm excited to be here.

And we also have Christopher Morgan.

He's just going to be talking a little bit later.

So I'm excited to have you, Christopher.

Thank you for having me.

Great.

Well, thank you, Bulls.

We're taking the time out of your day to be here on Blind Abilities.

Tiffany, can you tell our listeners what programs Colorado Center for the Blind CCB has to

offer teens?

For out of state youth, we have our No Limits to Learning Summer program.

And here we are offering both a six week and a three week program.

They do overlap.

The dates are June 22nd to July 31st for the six week.

And July 13th to July 31st for the three week.

With these programs, they are residential programs.

So we actually own an apartment complex about a mile from the center.

So all the students stay in the apartment with a residential counselor.

And then come to the school every day to learn and then head back to the apartments at night.

Something unique about our six week program is that with a 350 word essay,

you can join us in Austin, Texas.

Both staff are adult program and several of the summer program students will all be going to the

national convention, which is really exciting.

It's such a unique opportunity.

Yes, what a great opportunity.

Can you tell us what the day-to-day experience is like for the students attending these programs?

So day-to-day experience is really unique in the fact that not only are they

getting skills training at the center, but they're also getting skills training in the apartment.

So each morning, they'll wake up, they'll make their breakfast, they'll pack their lunch,

then they'll ride on public transit to the center.

They will work on travel from the bus loop up to the center every day.

And then they come in for learning.

And the day-to-day learning is Braille, technology, orientation and mobility.

And what we call home management, which most people know is independent living skills,

all in the center.

In addition to some enrichment classes that we're going to sprinkle in,

like home maintenance, where they'll learn how to use tools and sort of the ins and outs of,

you know, how piping and plumbing work.

We'll also have some art classes making tactile art, which is fantastic.

In addition to all of that, we will have challenge recreation activities interspersed

throughout the time as well.

And then once they're done with their day at school, again, they're going to travel back to the bus loop.

They're going to ride on that public transportation bus back to the apartment.

And once they're at the apartment, they're going to learn how to meal plan, budget, cook dinners,

how to properly sweep and mop and clean countertops, how to make a bed, how to do laundry,

how often you should do laundry.

All of those independent living skills that help a blind person be able to live a life on their own.

Wow, that's well-rounded.

I mean, you're talking sunrise is sunset there.

Tiffany, there's a lot of summer programs out there.

What makes DCB? What makes your programs different?

Well, first off, we are blind people teaching blind people how to live independently and competently.

That's the main thing that separates us from a lot of other centers.

In addition to that, we are a structure discovery center, so we use non-visual training techniques,

which is incredibly important when you're learning to navigate the world as a blind person.

Because even if you do have some residual vision, it is bound to fail you.

And so it's good to learn the non-visual skills to have them to trust in for the future.

As far as other things that make us different, we offer some really awesome challenge recreation.

So I'll just start to give you a list of what we have lined up for this year.

We have whitewater rafting.

We have a ropes course and paddle boarding day.

Both of those things are going to be up in Breckenridge, Colorado.

We're going to do outdoor rock climbing in Golden, Colorado.

We are going to do a fishing clinic at a chat field.

We are also going to offer several martial arts classes.

We're going to go to the planetarium.

And we're also going to rent a pool for several hours for a private pool party.

Oh wow, that's quite a list right there.

Colorado seems to have a lot to offer people with their unique geography and resources.

That's awesome.

Absolutely.

It's really a great environment to do a lot of this challenge recreation and truly build that confidence.

Tiffany, who should consider applying?

Students ages 15 to 21 is who we accept into our program.

What we're really looking for is students who are looking to go into college or looking for skills to begin a career path.

We want you to come seeking independence.

We do ask that with that independence, you are able to do things independently, meaning take your own medications, self grooming, things like that.

And as long as you're hungry to learn and excited about adventure, we would love to have you.

Oh, that's great.

Christopher, I'm going to kick this one to you.

As someone who has attended CCB's No Limits Learning Summer Program.

Looking back, can you share with us what you walked away with at the end of that summer?

For me, Tiffany's program was a huge, huge deal for me because before, I mean, I'd never been away from home much less 1200 miles away.

I'm from Atlanta, Georgia, so there's a different environment, you know, the elevation, and it's also, like I said, the physical distance from home.

And for that, I'm not a time. It was a suddenly program when I came.

And I feel like I really walked away with a much better appreciation for independence and the importance of it.

I walked away knowing that I was capable to be more independent than I had ever known because when you're in a situation where you're at home,

you have a lot of people doing things for you.

You have a lot of people that will do things because they don't think you can.

But you walk away with that understanding that you can do more.

But then also, I walked away with the hunger to learn more.

And that is the main reason that I decided to come back for ITP because now I'm being able to learn more and to do more.

Can you tell us what ITP is?

It's an independent training program.

Because of my experience in the summer program, I have decided to come back to Colorado.

I graduated high school in December and came back here.

I'll be here until July.

And then I'll go to college after that because I want to gain the skills and the confidence that I'll need in college.

And they'll better help me to excel in college as well.

Oh, that's awesome. That's really good.

The ITP is our adult program.

Okay. Well, Christopher, congratulations on your graduation and all the best to you on your next adventure.

Thank you so much.

I got another question for you, Christopher.

What advice do you have for a teen, a student who is considering taking this leap?

Well, quite honestly, the biggest thing is you're going to one day be living on your own.

That's the goal for everyone.

You're going to one day be living on your own.

But you have to know how to perform these tasks so that you live the most successful and fulfilling life as you can.

This world is created for not for us, really.

So being able to come here and practice those skills day in, day out, going back to the apartments, practicing those skills,

it gives you a much better idea of what life as a blind person is going to be like.

Not only in the corporate workplace, but also just your home life.

And it will just make you a lot more equipped to take on anything that life throws at you.

Yeah. And I suppose with all the other students there, you get to communicate with them too and find out what's working for them as well.

Absolutely. Yes.

Well, that sounds really great. That really does. Tiffany, it must be great to be able to see students come through the program and see them begin and then grow as they elevate as they elevate their life through the program.

Absolutely. I always say that students come in as a caterpillar and they walk out of butterfly.

And I love seeing that transformation every time it happens. It is something that never gets old.

Well, that's great. And Christopher, thanks for jumping in here. Tiffany, how can someone find out more about Colorado Center for the Blind and the summer programs?

So you can email me. My email address is T is in tango M O O N. So T moon at CO Center dot org.

You can also call me to ask any questions. My phone number is 303 778 1130 extension 256.

And you can also visit our website, which is CO Center dot org and go to the youth section and it tells you all of the activities we have.

If people are interested in this summer, wind is a registration deadline.

Deadline is April 17th.

All right. We'll be sure to get this out right away. This is a great opportunity because some states don't have the opportunity for them to gain such skills in such a unique program.

Whether you want to do the three week or six week program, plus being able to attend the National Federation of the Blind Conference, what an opportunity.

I've been to quite a few of those and you get to meet people from across the United States across the world really and really gain some great experience and confidence in yourself.

So thank you for coming on here and sharing with us what you guys have to offer teens and you're doing a great job.

Absolutely. The best part about it is that if you go through your vocational rehabilitation counselor, then this program is paid for through them.

So it is no cost to the student.

Oh, yeah. So if anyone's interested, just contact your BR, your state services for the blind and see what they can do for you and tell them about the programs that CCB is offering.

Absolutely. And they can have their counselor reach out to me as well as they have any questions.

All right. Well, Chris, first, thank you for joining us and Tiffany. Thank you as well.

Sure. Thank you. Thank you for having us. I hope you have a wonderful day.

To find out more about all the programs at state services for the blind, contact Shane dot to Santa's at state dot MN dot US.

That's Shane dot D E S A N T I S at state dot M N dot US.

Be sure to contact your state services for the blind, your voc rehab and find out what they can do for you.

Live, work, read, succeed.

What we see through each other's child's eyes, we can then get into the gap between the little expectations and the reality of blind, of the blind abilities.