New Beginnings - Perkins School for the Blind

Transcription

PSB_LanternFall10_v8_Layout 1 11/3/10 11:22 AM Page 1
Lantern
THE
P E R K I N S S C H O O L F O R T H E B L I N D | FALL 10
New Beginnings:
Perkins Turns
Possibility into
Opportunity
LETTER FROM TH E PR ES ID ENT
Every year at Perkins unfolds with the promise of new beginnings.
Our students are uplifted with every new life experience and classroom education
they receive. Our campus is renewed with the groundbreaking of projects and
renovations that offer new learning and living opportunities for our staff and
students. Our international partners develop new solutions with the support of
Perkins. All these achievements, big and small, contribute to fulfilling our mission
of bringing programs and services to individuals who are blind and visually
impaired, including those with additional disabilities, here and around the world.
We reflected on this promise of new beginnings this past summer as we put
together our 2010-2015 Strategic Plan. This Plan recommits us to preparing
students, reaching new populations, expanding internationally and building
partnerships – all key factors that are crucial in our determination to open
new doors for hundreds of thousands of individuals around the globe.
This edition of The Lantern details many new undertakings. You’ll read about the
latest developments with the Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology,
destined to be the gold standard for teaching technology and a central location
for student recreation. You’ll learn about the eye-opening experiences of public
school students who sampled the working world during our five-week Outreach
program. And you’ll also celebrate the milestone of Israel’s first-ever national
conference on the education of individuals with visual impairment.
These stories and many more are examples of the ways Perkins is helping
others to open new doors. Thanks to all of you who support our work, every
day is a chance for a new beginning.
Sincerely,
Steven M. Rothstein
President, Perkins School for the Blind
Officers of the
Corporation &
Board of Trustees
Chair of the Board
Frederic M. Clifford*
Vice Chairs of the Board
William A. Lowell
Andrea Lamp Peabody
Chair of the Corporation
C. Richard Carlson
Treasurer
Charles C.J. Platt
Assistant Treasurer
Randy E. Kinard
Secretary
Charles A. Cheever
Board of Trustees
C. Richard Carlson
Andrew W. Chapman, M.D.*
Katherine Chapman
Frederic M.Clifford*
Elizabeth Cabral Curtis
Linda DiBenedetto*
Edward G. Fey, Ph.D.
Brenda J. Furlong
William D. Gamelli
* Appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth
Paul S. Goodof
Corinne Grousbeck
Thomas Hehir
Janet B. James
Philip L. Ladd
William A. Lowell
Greg J. Pappas
Andrea Lamp Peabody
Charles C.J. Platt
W. David Power
Paul A. Raia*
Richard F. Reilly
contents
The Lantern Fall 2010
Volume LXXX, Number 1
CAMPUS
04
06
COMMUNITY 08
10
AROUND THE WORLD 12
NAMES AND FACES
Perkins plans for tomorrow
A fresh perspective
Money – and career experience –
in the bank
Strength in numbers
14
One child at a time
A conversation begins
16
16
17
17
18
18
19
19
New Strategic Plan unveiled
Perkins Possibilities Gala
Gubernatorial candidates forum
2010 Graduates
Perkins names new CFO
Vision 5K
Senior class trip
Time capsules buried
PERKINS 20
21
22
Letter from the Trust
Couple’s gift comes down
to dollars and sense
Calendar
Save paper by receiving The Lantern by email. Sign up at:
http://support.perkins.org/lantern
«
Cover: Sam, 17, an Outreach Services participant from New York, builds his resume
with an internship at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Mass.
campus
Artist’s rendering of the new Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology
Perkins plans for tomorrow
New facility catapults learning
and teaching into the future
Rows of desktop computers and
chairs squeezed into a small room on
the second floor of the Hilton Building
have served as the headquarters for
teacher and staff computer training
for the last few years. September’s
celebratory groundbreaking of the
Grousbeck Center for Students and
Technology – a building that will
expand Perkins’ training resources,
as well as provide a central location
for students to socialize and immerse
themselves in cutting-edge technology
– signaled change is near.
“In our role as leader in blindness
education, Perkins must take a
leadership role in access to the latest
technology,” said Perkins President
Steven Rothstein, as a gathering of
Perkins educators, students, family
members and the community sank
shovels into the soil only a few
hundred yards from the Hilton Building
4 The Lantern
where the Grousbeck Center is slated
to rise. “A hundred years ago, Perkins
moved to Watertown and opened
unheard-of opportunities. The
Grousbeck Center will open up new
opportunities, some we foresee and
others we have yet to imagine.”
The new Center, made possible by
a $10 million commitment from the
Grousbeck Family Foundation and
scheduled to open fall 2011, is
designed to be the campus’ first
centralized location for student
recreation, with a café, space for video
games and music performances.
The new building will also offer ways
for Perkins to continue its transition
programming by giving students job
opportunities. From waiting on
customers at the café to greeting
visitors at a reception area, to manning
a technology help desk or assisting
with conference preparation and
materials for trainings, students will
be part of the every day activity in
the building.
“Our students will have the
opportunity to interact in ways that
they currently do not,” said Dorinda
Rife, superintendent of Education
Programs. “This idea of combining
technology, training and student life
has tremendous potential.”
The new building will be a hub of
cutting-edge technology -- a place to
learn and experiment with the latest
adaptive equipment.
The building will become the new
home for some Perkins Products
staff and resources, where clients
can explore assistive technology.
Hallways and open spaces will double
as opportunities to display new
products and videos of those adaptive
technology solutions in action. The
Center will also provide space for
Perkins Training Center events and
conferences for educators and
professionals. These multi-use rooms
Harley, a 16-year-old Perkins student, takes part
in the groundbreaking ceremony
will include video cameras, conference
phones and other communication
technology to allow Perkins to further
expand its international impact.
“This project started as a tiny hope
and dream of ours to do something
that would move education forward
into the 21st century for Perkins
students. It’s a privilege to work
with people who are compassionate,
creative and big thinkers,” said
Corinne Grousbeck on behalf of
the Grousbeck Family Foundation.
Wyc and Corinne Grousbeck, Fred Clifford, and Steven Rothstein at Grousbeck Center
groundbreaking event
www.Perkins.org 5
campus
A fresh perspective
Students learn about eating locally at first
Farm to School Fair
Students explore the rainbow of produce grown by local farm Lanni Orchard and served in Perkins’
dining rooms
For Lower School student Shae,
age 12, who is visually impaired,
the small green leaves he crumbled
between his fingers gave little clue
as to the plant’s identity.
But when he bent his head and
brought the oils to his nose, a look
of recognition and delight flashed
across his face.
“Oh yeah! It smells like peppermint
patties!” he exclaimed.
6 The Lantern
Shae’s hands-on experiment with
mint leaves – grown in Perkins’ own
gardens – was part of the school’s
first-ever Farm to School Fair in July, an
event designed to educate students
about the health and enviromental
benefits of consuming locally
grown food.
Perkins began participating in the
Mass. Farm to School Project in 2009,
purchasing some of its produce from
Lanni Orchards in Lunenburg, Mass.
Not only is the food fresh, it travels
just 42 miles from the fields where
farmer Pat Lanni and his crew pick
it to the tables in Perkins’ cottages.
“The Farm to School Project is a win
for participants all around,” said Lanni,
who displayed a selection of fruits and
vegetables at the fair and entertained
questions about the growing process
from students and teachers. Not only
do students and staff receive fresh,
healthy food, the partnership supports
the economy by bringing additional
business to the farm and its workers.
And the short distance from field to
table greatly reduces the energy cost
and toll on the environment, he added.
“These are the connections we’re
trying to make,” said Deborah Krause,
coordinator of Perkins’ Horticulture
Therapy Program and the Thomas
and Bessie Pappas Horticulture
Center, who collaborated with the
For many, tasting fresh fruits and vegetables
brought the Farm to School concept full-circle
school’s food services and home and
personal management education
programs to organize the fair. “What
does local mean? Well, it’s right here.”
The fair featured a hands-on activity
table where students like Shae
could learn about fresh herbs and
crush dried leaves for tea bags and
sachets, as well as a tasting table
where students could bring the
sweet and savory experience full
circle. “Most students aren’t inclined
to eat vegetables,” said Food Services
Manager Steven Smith, “so using
fresh produce and herbs is one way
to appeal to their senses.”
“Fresh herbs make things taste better
and smell better,” said Smith, who
spooned up ripe tomatoes with a
basil and olive oil puree, alongside
golden raspberries, peaches and
blueberry smoothies.
While buying from farms can be
trickier than purchasing from a
supermarket, as some foods may not
always be available at any moment,
Smith believes it is worth the effort.
Students used fresh and dried herbs grown at
Perkins to assemble sachets and tea bags
“We also purchase fresh collard
greens and swiss chard, which are
a real challenge for kids to eat,” he
said. “But it’s so good for you.”
www.Perkins.org 7
community
Outreach Services participant Christopher, 17, makes a lion skull replica a little less scary to a young
visitor at the Franklin Park Zoo
Money – and career
experience – in the bank
Public school students practice on-thejob responsibility in Outreach Services
summer program
A full-grown lion will eat 11 pounds
of horsemeat in a single day.
That piece of trivia is just one of the
many items – some fun facts, some
life lessons – that Christopher, 17, of
8 The Lantern
Worcester, Mass., acquired while
working at the Franklin Park Zoo in
Boston this past summer.
“These are the front teeth,” he told
a 3-year-old visitor, who peered
nervously at the large replica lion
skull in Christopher’s hands, as the
teenager stroked the long, curved
fangs at the front of the jaw. “He
uses them to pull back the meat.”
Christopher is one of 10 young adults
who signed up for five weeks with
Outreach Services Summer
Employment Program, designed
to introduce public school students
who are blind to the working world.
In addition to acquiring pieces of
trivia about animals in the wild,
Christopher also experienced the
challenges and rewards of being
an independent, working adult:
reporting to his job on time, getting
along with coworkers and bringing
home a paycheck.
45-minute slog in bad traffic –
amounts to a too-costly commute.
“In real life, it would be too far
away,” he said. “A taxi would be
too expensive.”
The experience is also a reality check
for Sam, 17, of New York, who dislikes
the sound of his alarm clock at 6 a.m.
“It’s a little tough,” he said. “If I didn’t
have to wake up at 6, I wouldn’t.”
Still, he is glad to walk to the bus
stop after breakfast and commute
to Mount Auburn Cemetery in
Cambridge to work outside in the
gardens with the greenhouse crew.
He considers himself lucky to have
landed a job out in the sunshine.
Those lessons, in addition to the
everyday challenges like sharing
living space, commuting and
managing a budget, are what
give participants a real taste of
independent life, said Beth Caruso,
director of Outreach Services.
“They learn about writing a resume
and interviewing skills, social skills,
attire and all those kinds of things. At
the same time, they’re also getting
instruction in cooking, shopping and
laundry, as well as time management.
It’s that balancing of life,” she said.
The program is also a chance
for students to learn more about
themselves – their strengths and
their preferences when it comes to
working. For Paul, 17, of New York,
who envisions himself as a web
designer or teacher some day,
driving to the zoo from Perkins –
a 20-minute ride on a good day, a
Robert, an Outreach Services participant, practices
loading laundry and soap into a washing machine
“I wanted less of an office position,”
he said.
Above all, the experience confirmed
for Paul something he’d suspected
about himself for a while.
“I can’t wait to be more independent
– living by myself and doing my own
thing,” he said.
www.Perkins.org 9
community
Strength in numbers
For Perkins and corporations that volunteer, rewards
are realized on both sides
VHB volunteers Taylor Dowdy and Rob Nagi scooping ice cream for Perkins student Hailey; behind
them Ian Moon and Daniel Lovas look on
Volunteering at last year’s Taste
of Perkins was an eye-opening
experience for Eric Monkiewicz, a
civil engineer at Vanasse Hangen
Brustlin, Inc.’s Watertown, Mass.,
office. He and fellow employees
guided blindfolded guests from table
to table to experience food without
the benefit of visual cues.
“It was a nice perspective of what
it is like to rely on just your taste
buds,” said Monkiewicz, who has
volunteered at several campus
events. “I like to give back, and I
appreciate what Perkins does here.”
10 The Lantern
Eric Monkiewicz and Matt Varrell share
information about Perkins
VHB is one of several corporations
that have supported Perkins with
volunteer work in the last few years
– contributing significantly to more
than 50,000 total hours volunteers
have dedicated to Perkins in that
time span. And the partnerships
with corporations are proving to
be beneficial to both sides. Perkins
appreciates the sheer volume of
volunteers ready to roll up their
sleeves. The volunteers’ experience
of spending time on campus and
interacting with individuals who are
blind or visually impaired, many with
additional disabilities, goes a long
way toward increasing awareness.
“These volunteers come to our
campus and become more aware of
our mission,” said Perkins Volunteer
Manager Mike Cataruzolo, adding
that Perkins has benefited from the
time of more than 800 volunteers in
the last year. “Our volunteers talk
with their families afterward about
the work they’ve done here. Now
those people are more understanding
about people with disabilities as well.”
Eventually, Cataruzolo hopes that
this awareness results in more
corporations extending employment
opportunities to Perkins graduates,
or others who are visually impaired.
VHB has also supported Perkins
financially, giving more than $38,000
since 2007, which includes more
than $14,000 to help restore the
historic Perkins Pond.
VHB has taken multiple steps
to encourage their employees’
participation in some kind of volunteer
activity, said Senior Environmental
Planner Susan Nichols. She
volunteered at Perkins’ Alumni
VHB volunteers Matt Varrell, Chris Rife and Eric
Monkiewicz give their time to support Perkins
Weekend in June, serving breakfast
and helping to clean the guest rooms
as alumni left campus. She brought
along her husband and her 1-year-old
daughter, Charlotte, who rode in
a backpack.
“Having a coordinator at VHB makes
it much easier for us to volunteer, and
reminds the VHB staff that there is a
need. If I get a couple of e-mails from
work about volunteer opportunities,
I’m much more likely to sign up and
see if anyone in my family wants to
come,” she said.
“It makes it easier when your company
is backing up employees to go out
and volunteer,” added Monkiewicz.
“Corporations today are getting
more and more involved in the
community, ”said Cataruzolo. “It’s
team building, and it has a lot of value
for both Perkins and the companies.”
www.Perkins.org 11
around the world
Chen on his family’s farm in Nantong, China
One child at a time
Perkins and local partners are changing
attitudes in China village by village
Four years ago, a little boy named
Chen, who had been born completely
blind, was living in a rural village
outside Nantong, China, and existed
in a world of silence and isolation. At
eight years old, he had never gone to
school. He had never learned to speak.
He spent his days playing with the
family’s sheep in the hay, spurned
by neighbors who considered him
bad luck.
12 The Lantern
His life – and that of his immediate
community – changed the day he was
visited by a Perkins International
teacher and local Chinese teachers
who were participating in a Perkinssponsored training.
Convinced that Chen could benefit
from education and social interaction,
Perkins teacher Ellen Mazel approached
the village women and enlisted their
help, calling upon the cultural adage,
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
By the time she departed, the first
small signs of change were evident:
the women were arguing among
themselves as to who would
entertain Chen first for lunch.
Today, Chen’s world has transformed dramatically. He plays and
laughs with the village children. He
feeds himself and washes his own
dishes. He attends school and
comes home to tell his father about
his lessons.
“He’s part of the community,” said
Debbie Gleason, regional coordinator
of Asia/Pacific Programs for Perkins
International, who has since visited
Chen and his family. “He’s a delightful,
engaging little boy who is very
interactive and social. With the
guidance of the local teachers and
the interaction with other children
and adults in his village, he has
really blossomed.”
Those services for Chen grew into
China’s very first home-based early
intervention program – a program
that today is flourishing and reaching
many children in similar situations.
Learning basic skills such as brushing his
own teeth
In 2001, Perkins and its local partner,
China National Institute for Special
Education Research, launched
trainings of local teachers at six
schools across the country. Those
schools started the first educational
programs for preschoolers who are
visually impaired and children who
are visually impaired with multiple
disabilities. That partnership has now
spread into 27 preschool and multiple
disability programs in 17 cities.
Chen enjoys riding his bicycle on a sunny day
Work expanded when Perkins
and its partner, Amity Foundation,
launched trainings of teachers in
Jiangsu Province to begin services
to very young children who are blind
or visually impaired and their families.
Thus the very first home-based
services for young children who are
blind in China were launched. Families
who previously had no hope that
their children who were blind
could learn now have hope.
“Chen’s story is just one example”,
said Gleason. “There are countless
more children and families with
similar stories of hope and dreams
regained, and yet there are so
many more children, families
and communities to reach.”
www.Perkins.org 13
around the world
A conversation begins
Israeli conference on visual impairment important
first step in sharing resources
Back row left to right, Elias Kobakov, the Beth David Center for Deafblind Persons; Tanni Anthony;
Marianne Riggio, Perkins International; Tamara Silberberg, Keren Or Center for Students with Visual
Impairment and Multiple Disabilities; Steven Rothstein, Perkins School for the Blind president; Sergei
Sorokin, former director of Perkins International; Front row, Barbara Miles, Perkins School for the
Blind; and Naomi Ariel, David Yellin College in Israel
A multitude of ambitious goals
were identified at last spring’s Israeli
National Conference for Educators
and Allied Health Professionals, the
first of its kind in Israel.
“But one sure sign of early
success is the enthusiasm and energy
expressed by local professionals who
didn’t waste a moment putting to
use their new knowledge and
perspective,” said Marianne Riggio,
Perkins International training
coordinator.
She and Steven Rothstein, Perkins
President, visited one such teacher at
14 The Lantern
a Palestinian school in East Jerusalem
just days after the conference who
couldn’t say enough about the
experience.
“We asked him what he learned and
he went on and on,” she said. “We had
to finally say, ‘OK, we have to go now.’”
The conference, deemed a milestone
in collaboration by all sides, brought
together 300 educators, health care
professionals and parents to Tel Aviv
in May for the purpose of starting
dialogues and sharing information
regarding the education and services
for individuals who are visually
a special session regarding cortical
vision impairment, as well as another
specifically designed to clarify the
difference between deafblindness
and other conditions such as Usher
Syndrome, the leading cause of
deafblindness in the country.
Tamara Silberberg, executive director, Keren Or
Center with Perkins President Steven Rothstein
impaired with additional disabilities.
The conference was co-sponsored
by Perkins International and Keren
Or, a Jerusalem-based Perkins
partner, with the help of Israel’s
Ministry of Welfare-Services for the
Blind, Eliya-Israel Association for the
Advancement of Blind and Visually
Impaired Children, and the Beth
David Institute for Deafblind Persons.
“The whole idea was to introduce
new skills and refine other skills
already in practice,” said Silberberg.
“So many different groups attended
and people were very pleased with
what was offered.”
“While Perkins’ partners have
accomplished much individually,
bringing them together to share their
knowledge and make new connections
is key to keeping the momentum
growing,” said Steven Rothstein,
who also attended the conference.
“The number of individuals who fall
into the category of visually impaired
with multiple disabilities is small but
growing,” said Tamara Silberberg,
executive director of Keren Or,
the country’s only school specially
dedicated to this population. That
means the needs of this particular
group, which spans many diverse
disciplines, are constantly changing
and in need of additional resources.
Chen and a teacher during a school tree
planting excursion
The conference featured multiple
workshops that targeted special
interests of a variety of groups,
she added. One session addressed
strategies for feeding children with
visual impairments and additional
disabilities, as well as teaching their
families and eventually helping them
learn to feed themselves. There was
“There’s so much everyone wants
to do,” he said. “It can be challenging to coordinate the priorities. But
the conference was beyond my
expectations. Sometimes in
conferences like this, it takes days
to get people to really interact. But
here, that happened right away.”
www.Perkins.org 15
names and faces
Five-year vision to guide school’s future path
A
LL
W E
S E E I S
POSSIBILITY
2010-2015 STRATEGIC PLAN
PERKINS
SCHOOL
FOR
THE
BLIND
Perkins is pleased to announce the release of its
2010-2015 Strategic Plan, a five-year blueprint that will
guide the school’s future decisions regarding academic
programming, capital improvements, the development
of partnerships and much more. The Plan, which
includes a special focus on expanding student access
to adaptive technology and increasing braille literacy,
recommits Perkins to four goals that will help pursue
our mission of providing education and services to
individuals here and around the world: preparing
students, reaching new populations, expanding
internationally and building partnerships.
The Plan can be read online at www.Perkins.org/strategicplan, and
accessible formats are available by calling 617-972-7335.
Gala an overwhelming success
This year’s Perkins
Possibilities Gala
raised more than $1.4
million for our global
education efforts,
exceeding the 2009
Gala’s fundraising total
of $1.27 million. To
guests’ surprise and
delight, Bob Weir of
the legendary Grateful
Dead took the stage
alongside Perkins’
Andrea Brooks, Katherine Chapman, and Johanna Harrison strike a
tie-dye clad student
pose at the Perkins Possibilities Gala
chorus to perform
“Ripple” and “Sugar
Magnolia,” among other favorites. Later in the evening, Weir’s autographed
guitar from the performance raised $21,000 during the auction. In addition to
the musical performances, the Gala’s 700 guests heard speeches from Gala
Co-Chair and Celtic’s co-owner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck, whose son Campbell
is a Perkins student, and from Perkins Deafblind Program graduate Chris Jett,
who assured the audience that his disability will never deter his dreams for
the future.
16 The Lantern
Gubernatorial candidates
address disability issues at
Perkins forum
All candidates for governor of Massachusetts
took the stage at Dwight Hall in May to discuss
disability issues. The forum was held in honor
of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. Despite
dissension on health care, housing, and
employment for people with disabilities, the
candidates agreed more cooperation is needed.
Republican Charlie Baker advocated a “cleaner,
easier, clearer way of doing business” and said
streamlining health and human services agencies
would not only save money but also make
managing these agencies simpler.
Governor Deval Patrick and
President Steven Rothstein
discuss disability issues
“Let’s be honest with each other on the challenges ahead. Funding human
services is going to be a challenge for a couple more years as we climb out
of this global recession,” said Governor Patrick.
Perkins launches 2010 grads
Perkins graduate Bojana
celebrates her big day with
teacher Denise Fitzgerald
Hector shares the spotlight with
family post graduation ceremony
Twelve Perkins graduates celebrated their
accomplishments at the 2010 Commencement
ceremony in June with words of wit and wisdom
from keynote speaker Rabbi Dennis G. Shulman,
who urged them to continue learning by opening
themselves to embrace the unknown.
“It turns out that you cannot die from
embarrassment,” said Shulman, a clinical
psychologist, psychoanalyst and distinguished
author who is visually impaired. “Life is to be
lived, and that involves putting ourselves, more
often than not, in situations that are not so
perfect or cozy or comfortable.”
Minh, the senior class speaker, encouraged her
fellow graduates to do the same: “Let’s show
them what we as students who are visually
impaired are able to do.”
www.Perkins.org 17
names and faces
Perkins names new CFO
Perkins is pleased to welcome Lisa A. Calise as its
new chief financial officer, succeeding Fred Baker
who will step down after six years of service to the
school. Calise joined Perkins from the city of Boston,
where she served as director of administration and
finance since 2007 and had been CFO since the
2003. Before coming to Boston, she worked as a
budget examiner at the White House Office of
Management and Budget in Washington, DC.
Calise began work in September and will overlap with Baker’s tenure.
“I continue to thank Fred for his many contributions over the years,” said
Perkins President Steven Rothstein, “and I know Lisa will do amazing work
for our team as well.”
Vision 5K brings families out on Father’s Day
Perkins students, parents, and
staff joined hundreds of runners and
walkers of all abilities this Father’s
Day at Boston College for the
Vision 5K, a partnership event
between Perkins and three other
local organizations that serve
individuals who are blind or
visually impaired.
Barbara Slattery walked the five
kilometers with her daughter
Rebecca, a student in the Secondary
Program, to help raise awareness
about the capabilities of people
who are blind or visually impaired.
“Finally,” she said, “I feel like I’m
giving back something.”
Since 2001, this event has
generated more than $1 million
dollars to fund the partner
organizations. Sighted participants
have the option of running the five
kilometers blindfolded.
18 The Lantern
Barbara Slattery crosses the finish line with her
daughter Rebecca
Seniors soak up the sun
Sun, sand and a few dazzling
karaoke performances were
on the itinerary for six Perkins
seniors who boarded a cruise
ship for a three-night trip to
the Bahamas last spring.
Top left to right, Cory, Tyler, Brad and bottom left to right,
Deanna, Bojana, and Samantha on the beach in the Bahamas
The adventure, funded in part
by monthly fundraisers that
the students held throughout the academic year, also
included rock climbing and
shopping in Nassau.
“The best part was how
much there was to do,” said Samantha, who is now a Perkins graduate.
“This trip really gave the students a chance to learn what independence is all
about,” said horticulture teacher Marion Myhre, one of five advisors to join
the seniors on the trip. “I think they were able to see what the future can
hold for them.”
Looking forward and back
Newspapers, magazines, student essays and
artifacts from today will tell a powerful story to
the Perkins students of tomorrow when they
open two time capsules buried on campus in
September. Located on the site of Perkins’
new Lower School building and filled with
things like stamps and coins honoring Louis
Braille and Helen Keller and an MP3 player
with today’s hits, the capsules will be
unearthed in 2029 as part of Perkins’ 200th
birthday celebration.
Looking to the future is the theme of the new
building – a fully accessible, state-of-the-art,
environmentally friendly facility for elementary
and middle school students which opens this
winter – as well. Many present at the burial
promised to be on hand for the recovery of
the capsules in 20 years.
Perkins time capsule before burial
www.Perkins.org 19
Perkins
LETTER FROM TH E TR US T
At Perkins, we are frequently reminded that new beginnings and partnerships
go hand in hand.
So much of what we accomplish is connected to the friends who support us.
One year ago, we announced a $10 million commitment from the Grousbeck
Family Foundation to build the Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology.
Just last month we celebrated the groundbreaking of that transformative
project – a partnership that truly forms the foundation of the future.
Our school has also found a partner in our friend and Trust Board member,
Joe O’Donnell, whose generosity has created Perkins’ first endowed faculty
position – another milestone in our effort to attract top-notch educators and
provide the highest-quality education to our students.
These are only two examples of the vital partnerships that touch so many
different aspects of Perkins. Countless volunteers give their time. Local
businesses provide job placements and career experience to our students.
Our international partners bring services and education to children around the
world while expanding the potential of those programs by helping train more
professionals and teachers.
When Perkins opened its doors in 1829, it housed a handful of students. Today,
our reach circles the globe and touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of
individuals every year. And that number continues to grow. These achievements
would not be possible without our many valued partners.
Every step forward is a reminder of what more we can accomplish together.
Warm wishes,
Kathy Sheehan
Executive Director of the Trust
The Perkins Trust
20 The Lantern
Chair Perkins Trust
Corinne Grousbeck
Trust Board
Katherine Chapman
Frederic M. Clifford
Stephen C. Demirjian
John J. Doran
Janet B. James
Philip L. Ladd
Jon L. Luther
David B. Mazza
Joseph J. O’Donnell
William Schawbel
Wanda and Ron Mourant
Couple’s gift comes down to
dollars and sense
Perkins’ commitment to fiscal
responsibility is a major reason Wanda
and Ron Mourant chose to establish
a gift annuity with the school –
specifically, the economical, financially
responsible way the institution runs
its programs and promotes itself.
“I feel like we’re putting our money
into the things we believe in,” said
Wanda Mourant. “Perkins isn’t
spending my money to ask other
people for money.”
Last spring, the Mourants received
their first fixed, annual payment
from the deferred gift annuity they
established three years ago. Deferring
their payments increased the interest
rate that determines their annual
return. Overall, the gift annuity is a
way for the couple to see their money
make a difference at Perkins, while
providing them with a lifetime income.
“Giving money to worthwhile
organizations is fun,” added Wanda
Mourant. “Why do we support
Perkins? Because Perkins does
many things that need to be done
and does them well.”
To learn more about giving, contact
Alleather Toure at 617-972-7680, or
e-mail [email protected].
www.Perkins.org 21
Perkins
calendar
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Annual Meeting & Reception
Monday, Nov. 1, 5:00 p.m.
Holiday Concerts
Thursday, Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 12, 3 p.m.
Educational Leadership
Program International Exhibit
Tuesday, Nov. 23,
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
JANUARY
MLK, Jr. Day Event
Monday, Jan. 17, 11:30 a.m.
All the Right Moves
Jake keeps the beat during a workshop conducted by New Zealand’s Black Grace Dance Company
for Perkins students
22 The Lantern
Give Today
and Double Your Gift:
2010 Holiday Challenge
Make a gift now to meet our $50,000 Challenge and double the
impact of your generosity. A friend of Perkins, who wishes to remain
anonymous, is joining members of Perkins’ Board to match every gift
made between now and December 31, 2010—dollar for dollar up to
$50,000! You can make a difference for our students and their families,
our Library patrons, and all whom we serve around the world.
Please make a gift today and it will be doubled!
SEND SOME PERKINS HOLIDAY SPIRIT
Choose from four original designs by Perkins students. The perfect way to
show friends, family and colleagues that you support helping children, teens
and adults who are blind or visually impaired reach their fullest potential.
Cards are $1.00 each and for an additional charge may be customized with
your name, company name, logo and greeting. All net proceeds benefit Perkins.
Go to www.Perkins.org/holidaycards or call Jennifer Volpe at 617-972-7667
PERKINS 2011 CALENDAR
Our 2011 Calendar features beautiful images of students
and families served by Perkins on campus, in the
community and around the world.
Calendars are $15.95 each. To order call Katrina Toth
at 617-972-7833 or [email protected]
Give Online: www.Perkins.org/give
Give by Mail: Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon St.
Watertown, MA 02472
Give by Phone: Call Jennifer Volpe at 617-972-7667
Founded in 1829 as the nation’s
first school for the blind, Perkins
today impacts more than 115,000
individuals, including infants;
school-age students on campus
and in the community; and children
who are blind or deafblind in 65
countries worldwide. The school
is an accredited member of the
New England Association of
Lantern
THE
All we see is possibility.
Change Service Requested
Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Non-Profit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Worcester, MA
Permit No. 2
Schools and Colleges and the
National Association of Independent
Schools. It is licensed by the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
and Developmental Services.
Perkins School for the Blind does
not discriminate on the basis of race,
gender, color, creed, nationality,
ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.

New Beginnings - Perkins School for the Blind

Transcription

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