Fall 2008 Generations The Hadley School for the Blind—Est. 1920 Through the generosity of others, building on the past, bringing life-changing services to future generations A Letter From the President For the past 88 years, The Hadley School for the Blind has been blessed with generous donors who believe in our mission to provide free distance education and independence to blind and visually impaired individuals throughout the world. On behalf of the 11,000 students we serve annually, I extend my sincere thanks. In this issue of generations, you’ll read about some of the many exciting initiatives Hadley has launched with your continued support: ?On July 1, our school celebrated “Literacy” as the Hadley/ Bookshare Library was dedicated. Thanks to Hadley Trustee and Library Chair Sandy Forsythe and her husband Rick for making this online library, which brings 39,000 current books and 150 daily newspapers to the fingertips (and ears) of our blind and visually impaired students, a reality. ?Our Leadership Initiative will invite the world’s leaders in the blindness field to join us in developing an international strategy of identifying, cultivating and training future blind leaders—the “best of the best”—to assume leadership positions worldwide. ?Join me in saluting our 2008 Hadley High School graduates who have overcome difficult circumstances to achieve their goal. ?See how Hadley’s Young Visionaries “tee it up in the dark” to secure revenue and build awareness of the school’s mission among their peer group. ?Our Woman’s Board Benefit, “Hadley Garden,” brought together friends and donors to raise funds in support of our collaboration with Utah State University. This partnership has resulted in the creation of an Associate Degree Program for paraprofessionals, thus addressing the shortage of qualified and competent individuals to work with children who are blind. As Helen Keller so eloquently proclaimed, “There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark.” On behalf of our students, faculty, staff and administration, please accept my deepest appreciation for your “helping hand” and your commitment to Hadley and its mission. Charles E. Young President In this issue: 2-3 Donor Spotlight 3 Leadership Institute 4 “Hadley Garden” Benefit a Success 5 Woman’s Board Member Designs 2008 Braille Holiday Card 6-7 Meet Our 2008 Graduates 7 The Hadley School Announces New Giving Societies 8-9 “Reach Out and Teach” A Mother Finds Her Strength as a Hadley Student Back page: Upcoming Hadley Events Donor Spotlight Rick and Sandy Forsythe Putting bestsellers and more within Hadley students’ reach Sandy and Rick Forsythe are helping Hadley to discover new frontiers in a big way. In the past year, the Forsythes have supported Hadley’s collaboration with Bookshare and the Hadley International Leadership Institute, two major initiatives that broaden Hadley’s reach and educational offerings. The Hadley - Bookshare Library, an online resource, provides blind and visually impaired students with access to reading material in real time. The latest books are scanned and approved through a validating process with priority given to bestsellers. Daily newspapers are provided electronically in digital format. This is all possible because of a provision in U.S. copyright law that allows people with a print disability—including vision impairment, dyslexia and physical inability to hold a book—access to copyrighted material in an accessible format. “Bookshare is revolutionary,” Sandy says. “I was told that a woman who worked for Bookshare uploaded a Harry Potter book as soon as it came out so that blind children could access the book at the same time as their sighted peers. “Users can obtain information just like any person with sight. I believe reading is something everyone should have the opportunity to do.” Hadley - Bookshare’s commitment to accessibility and to providing popular reading materials with more than 39,000 books and 150 periodicals is a cause worth supporting. “Bookshare created the perfect opportunity to provide our students with a wide selection of reading material, including textbooks and Hadley’s supplemental reading materials,” says Hadley President Chuck Young. “The partnership also allows active Hadley students to receive their memberships for free, when normally there are administrative costs.” The Forsythe’s gift has enabled Hadley to create a full-time Bookshare liaison position dedicated to expanding the library. Sandy and Rick Forsythe’s dedication to blind and visually impaired people worldwide has made the Hadley - Bookshare Library a reality. The Hadley School for the Blind Leadership Institute The Forsythes also provided funding for the Hadley International Leadership Institute, created to identify the “best and brightest” people who are blind or visually impaired and encourage and advance their professional development. The number of individuals in management or leadership positions who are blind or visually impaired is dwindling, and Hadley has surveyed leaders of national organizations to affirm the existence of an urgent need for education and training for blind and visually impaired future leaders. While most blindness organizations prefer to have a director who is blind or visually impaired, fewer than five percent have a person who is visually impaired serving in a management position. With funding from the Forsythes, Hadley hopes to challenge the common misconception that people who are visually impaired cannot assume leadership roles. “‘Leadership’ is not what most people associate with blindness, making the Forsythe’s acknowledgement and support of this strategic initiative unprecedented,” says Hadley President Chuck Young. “Receiving training in leadership will give participants the tools they need to eventually take charge of the associations and organizations that most impact the blindness field.” Stay tuned for more details about this new and ground-breaking institute. “Hadley Garden” Benefit a Success The Hadley Woman’s Board, the school’s largest donor, held their annual Benefit, “Hadley Garden,” on Friday, May 9, at the Skokie Country Club. Benefit Chair Anne O’Brien Prager and her team of co-chairs did a wonderful job decorating, planning a lovely dinner and soliciting garden-themed and other auction items. After a welcome from Hadley President Chuck Young and Woman’s Board President Sarah Barden, guest speaker and Executive Leadership Consultant Kevin O’Connor talked about raising his visually impaired son. Winnetka resident and Master of Ceremonies Richard Laible entertained the crowd and created a friendly rivalry among guests while encouraging the bidding on live auction items, which included a course at the Porsche Sport Driving School, a Garden and Golf weekend in Charleston, SC and a week in Paris. After dinner, guests danced to the music by the band “Out of Control.” The evening raised more than $200,000, to help fund the Hadley School for Professional Studies and a partnership with Utah State University that will offer training to help combat the critical shortage of professionals in the blindness field. Woman’s Board Member Designs 2008 Braille Holiday Card Kay Moffitt, artist and Hadley Woman’s Board member, created the 2008 Braille Holiday and Photo Cards. We interviewed Kay about her work and her involvement with the Hadley School. What medium did you use for this year’s card? The dove in flight on this year’s Holiday Card was done in pastels. For those not familiar with this art medium, pastels are pure pigment in stick form. The pigments in pastels are the same as those used in oil paints; they are just bound together by a different substance than oil. What do you most enjoy working with? Of all the media available to artists, I have always enjoyed pastels and oil. Pastels because you can quickly get the pigment on the painting surface without having to do a lot of mixing and preparation. It can be easier to get thoughts and impressions on canvas or paper quickly. Most of the portraits I have done are in pastel. However, I love working in oils as well, and my landscapes and still-life paintings are predominantly in this medium. How long have you been painting? I have been painting on and off over the past decade. Prior to moving to Illinois in 2004, I relied primarily on books and trial and error to experiment with new techniques and different approaches. However, the Chicago area has many great teachers and I have been taking advantage of all the resources available in this area to broaden my interest. What inspires your work? When my family and I travel, we take hundreds of photographs that become the inspiration for most of my landscapes. I love the West and I’m starting a series of oil paintings from Wyoming, Montana and California. Did you ever aspire to be a professional artist? No, it is something that has evolved over time and now become a passion. What was your inspiration for the image for this year’s card? The idea of the dove as a symbol of peace just seemed to be right for the times and the state of the world in which we live. You presented several lovely card designs to choose from. What was your favorite? Why? I did several sketches and paintings with a variety of holiday themes, but I remember saying to my husband after completing the dove, “This is the one!” What if we did a series? If that is what the school wants, I would be pleased to develop such a series of cards. Whether a series or just this one, I am so pleased to be able to help in a way that allows me to turn my passion into support for the Hadley School and its mission. How did you become involved with the Woman’s Board, how long have you been a member and what attracted you to the Hadley School’s mission? This will be the start of my third year as a member of the Woman’s Board. One of the first women I met after moving to the area was longtime Hadley Woman’s Board member Joan Zabel. As Joan explained all the wonderful things the Board was accomplishing with their fundraising efforts, I knew it would be a worthwhile cause to support. The women on the Board are dedicated and caring, and it has been a very rewarding experience. Hadley’s 2008 High School Graduates Have Their Eyes on the Future For many Hadley students, graduation is a hard-fought victory. Many have not had accessible course material at their local high schools and could not earn degrees before enrolling in Hadley’s accredited program. Others had to adjust to deteriorating eyesight or blindness in addition to keeping up with their studies. Some are raising children in addition to earning their degrees. Many, at times, have questioned whether they were capable of earning a high school diploma. Whether they were facing their own doubts or the doubts of others, all were determined to earn their diplomas. Lisa Jones, of North Carolina, was born with retinitis pigmentosa. She learned about Hadley’s High School Program through a friend who was enrolled at Hadley. If she could do it all over again, Lisa says, she would take courses with Hadley instead of attending a regular high school because “Hadley had all the course materials in an accessible format.” Lisa enjoyed Hadley’s computer and science courses. She plans to continue her Hadley studies and attend college. Faduma Kheyrow, of Idaho, wasn’t able to attend school at all before coming to the United States. She read a story about William Hadley and was encouraged by his support of people who are blind and visually impaired. Faduma completed 18 courses to earn her Hadley High School diploma and plans to attend college to become a braille teacher for elementary school children. She also enjoys interpreting for people who speak Somali and Arabic. “I am so happy tonight,” she announced at graduation. “I haven’t been this happy before. I thank everyone who came for us tonight, especially my mother. I thank everyone at Hadley who supported us and showed us where to start.” Yulonda Long, of Missouri, says that though it was a long and difficult ride, she feels good about what she has accomplished, having completed 28 Hadley courses. She hopes to one day own her own business as a caregiver working with children or the elderly. Acknowledging the other graduates and her Hadley instructors, she said, “When I lose my sight, I’ll have the opportunity to look to these people who have lost their sight for strength.” In 2001 Tammie Reid, of Missouri, lost her sight to pseudo tumors. She believed she would never graduate from high school. Tammie received her diploma through Hadley, having completed 22 courses. The mother of two teenage boys, Tammie thanks Hadley for helping her reach her goal. Brad Thompson, of North Carolina, was born with retinitis pigmentosa. He was unable to finish high school because he could not pass a reading test. Brad says he found the Hadley course work challenging but worth the effort. He especially enjoyed world history. Brad doesn’t know what the future holds but plans to attend a local community college. Katherine Watson, 19, from Wisconsin, has been home-schooled her entire life and didn’t have much experience learning from other teachers besides her mother. Because her many young siblings were educated alongside her, she had to learn to work independently. This helped when it came to choosing her courses, planning timelines for projects and assignments and, in the end, earn her diploma in four years, having completed 23 Hadley courses. This fall, Katherine will begin classes at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, to pursue her bachelor’s degree in journalism. She also enjoys writing poetry and songs, cooking, reading and teaching guitar lessons. Riley Williams, of Missouri, was referred to Hadley by a rehabilitation center for the blind. He knew he wanted to earn his diploma, rather than a GED, and along the way has completed 38 Hadley courses to graduate with a 4.0 grade point average. In 2007 he received Hadley’s Student of the Year award for his hard work and positive attitude. Riley credits his success to support of family and friends. He plans to earn an associate degree at a nearby college and continue his endeavor of lifelong learning. Each year, more than 500 students supplement their high school curriculum with Hadley courses. The Hadley School Announces New Giving Societies Every donation made to The Hadley School for the Blind is important and, as such, we want to honor and recognize our generous supporters with these new Giving Societies: ? $10,000 plus Chairman’s Society ? $7,500 to $9,999 Humanitarian Society ? $5,000 to $7,499 Heritage Society* ? $2,500 to $4,999 Benefactor Society ? $1,000 to $2,499 President’s Society* ? $750 to $999 Sustaining Society ? $500 to $749 Guarantor Society ? $250 to $499 Patron Society *currently active “Reach Out and Teach” A Mother Finds Her Strength as a Hadley Student You could say the O’Neills have had their share of challenges these past four years: The death of their children, Hannah Mae and Samuel John, two of triplets born in 2004; a three-month hospital stay for their surviving daughter, Camille; the discovery of Camille’s visual impairment soon after her arrival home; the scramble to educate themselves about their daughter’s eye condition; and the fear of not knowing what their family’s future held. “The not knowing was the most frightening aspect,” Jennifer says, looking back. “I’d never met anyone with a significant visual impairment; Bill had never met anyone with a significant visual impairment. The only thing we had to go on was imagining what it would be like for us if we suddenly lost our vision. That was pretty scary. I’m a pretty independent person.” The discovery of Camille’s eye condition—aggressive retinopathy of prematurity—soon after they brought her home from a three-month ICU stay left Jennifer at a loss. “I had no idea what to do. I didn’t know how to teach her. Most of my instincts as a mother were just… out the door. That was the scariest aspect and the hardest to come to terms with. We knew Camille’s situation wasn’t going to go away, and we felt helpless.” A number of events helped the couple through their initial fear. Camille’s retinal specialist in Detroit, Dr. Michael Trese, recommended they visit the Association of Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases’ (ROPARD) Low Vision Center. The center’s outreach director, Paula Korelitz, gave the couple a Hadley course catalog, which Jennifer read through during their 15hour ride home to Omaha, Nebraska.” “Hadley was really just a life ring for me,” she says. “Throughout my life, whenever I’ve felt out of control or that I didn’t know something, I’ve felt I could always learn. I’ve always loved learning. When I saw the Hadley catalog, I didn’t think twice; I had to call to see what they offered. I knew I had to start learning about visual impairments to feel comfortable and that I was doing a good job mothering Camille. “Hadley was such an empowering experience, not only because of what I learned from the course work, but also because of the teachers, who are amazing. It doesn’t seem as though you would have a personal connection through distance education, but Hadley is so contrary to that idea. I’ve developed such good connections and have gotten such good advice and ideas and support from my instructors. Though I have no idea what they look like and have never met any of them face-to-face, I feel as though they’re distant friends whom I can email at any time and say, ‘This is what I’ve got going on’ or ‘I need help figuring this out.’ Hadley is just another family of support in the wings—helpful and understanding and full of information.” Jennifer says she also found comfort through her encounters with instructors who are blind or visually impaired yet also hold jobs and raise families. “One thing you think about as a parent is, ‘Will my child be happy and content with who they are?’ Hadley instructors are an amazing resource because they’re examples. They’ve made it work.” Jennifer and Bill have found tremendous support through family. “We’re fortunate,” she says. “Bill has a large family; he’s the youngest of seven, and some of his brothers and sisters have college-age kids. His mother is still living. I have a small family—a brother and my parents. All of them are just amazing with Camille. My mom is taking Hadley courses, too; the school’s been a great resource for both of us. “What’s important for kids is having an environment where they feel supported and loved for who they are. I think it’s especially important for someone who is different in the eyes of society as they grow up.” Camille turned 4 in July. Her sister Olivia is 2-and-a-half. “It’s interesting right now,” Jennifer says. “They’re trying to be friends but sometimes it doesn’t last. Olivia is very active and runs around all the time, and it’s hard for Camille to keep track of her. Olivia’s not much into sharing right now—she’s more into taking—and she’ll run off with Camille’s toys, which isn’t fair, when Camille can’t see where she’s going. I keep thinking it’ll get better as they get older! “That all of this education—all this Hadley material—has been offered to our family free of charge is just amazing, especially when you’re coming off a three-month ICU stay. For a while we were making the trip to Camille’s ophthalmologist in Detroit every two to four weeks. It all starts to get expensive, so the fact that everything was sent to us free of charge was just incredible. I honestly don’t know if I would have signed up for Hadley courses as early as I did had it not been for that. We had so many other expenses at that time. It’s something we are extremely grateful for.” ? Upcoming Hadley Events ? The Hadley Woman’s Board 2008 Braille Holiday Card Sale Through Dec. 15 at the Hadley School, 700 Elm Street, Winnetka Weekdays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 800-323-4238 Order online: www.hadley.edu/holidaycard $25 for a box of 25 cards. Imprinting offered at an additional cost Photocards, other designs, wrapping paper and holiday accessories also available. The art for this card was created by Kay C. Moffitt, artist and Woman’s Board member. ? Woman’s Board Holiday Luncheon December 5 ? Woman’s Board Book Fair The Book Stall, Winnetka, IL December 4, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and December 5, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. ? Hadley will be closed December 20 to January 4 for winter break. ? Woman’s Board Benefit March 6, 2009 ? Hadley High School Graduation June 2009