generations SPRING 2015 THE HADLEY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

generations
SPRI NG 2015
T H E H A D L E Y S C H O O L F O R T H E B L I N D — E S T. 1 9 2 0
Hadley
Transitions to
Unified English
Braille
Back Cover:
New
Low Vision Focus
Audio Recordings
Coming Soon
Through the generosity of others, building on the past, bringing life-changing services to future generations
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
W
hen The Hadley School for the Blind was
founded in 1920, there were a number of
residential schools for young children in this
country but few organizations serving adults who were
blind or visually impaired. William Hadley’s goal to teach
“braille by mail” to adults via correspondence was truly
visionary. Nearly a century later, Hadley is proud to be a
leader in teaching blind or visually impaired adults through
accessible distance education, but we are most certainly
a different organization than we were 95 years ago.
Today, we not only teach people who are blind or
visually impaired, but also their sighted family members
and professionals in the field. Technology has vastly
changed how we deliver curriculum, and we are constantly
adapting to meet the needs of our students and those who
have yet to discover all that Hadley has to offer. With the
new Low Vision Focus @ Hadley, we are expanding our
services to reach the burgeoning older adult population
experiencing age-related vision loss.
In light of these changes and our recently adopted strategic
plan, we are undertaking a branding exploration with the
potential for a name change, new tagline and logo.
Last summer, we convened a taskforce representing the
administration, trustees, faculty and others to discuss the
issues associated with a potential name change. One of the
most important recommendations that the taskforce made
CONNECT WITH HADLEY ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Check out Hadley on
social media and get the latest news from the school
and the blindness community. Keep up-to-date on our
latest courses, seminars, events and more!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
thehadleyschoolfortheblind
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thehadleyschool
Hadley has its own YouTube Channel! For a wealth of
instructional videos which highlight accessibilty features
of iOS, visit www.youtube.com/hadleyschool—your
iPad or iPhone can do some cool things! The channel
also features inspiring stories from our students.
was to keep Hadley in the name, recognizing that “Hadley”
has strong brand recognition in itself, especially within
the blindness field. The second recommendation was to
enlist the help of an outside branding agency to assist with
research and recommendations. Hadley was able to secure
pro bono consulting services from Leo Burnett Worldwide,
an international advertising agency headquartered in
Chicago. We began working with Leo Burnett in January
to determine whether a name change is warranted and,
if so, what the branding will like look moving forward.
We also conducted our own research regarding messaging
and positioning with faculty members, staff, funders and
colleagues in the blindness and low vision community.
We recognize that our stakeholders are many, with
varied perspectives about who we are and who we want to
be as an organization in the future. Our goal is to engage
our key stakeholders and be as transparent as possible, so
we wanted to be sure that you, our donors, were made
aware of this important initiative as it gets underway
this year. Please know that no decision has been made
concerning a name change. We will keep you apprised
as the process unfolds.
In this issue of Generations, we share our plans for
teaching Unified English Braille (UEB), an update to the
braille code that was recently adopted by braille readers
in the United States. Hadley has always been a leader in
braille education, and we are proud to be taking the lead in
teaching UEB to both tactile and sighted students. You will
read about our 2014 Student Award Winners who joined
us at our Annual Meeting in October and meet our two
newest trustees. In addition, we are pleased to announce
the first two recipients of our Entrepreneur of Excellence
Certificate, developed in partnership with the National
Association of Blind Merchants.
Your continued generosity enables Hadley to move
forward with exciting new projects and initiatives that
provide lifelong learning opportunities to thousands of
people with vision loss around the world, as well as their
support networks. Thank you for your commitment to
Hadley and for your ongoing investment that makes our
work possible.
Best regards,
Charles E. Young, President
2 | GENERATIONS — SPRING 2015 | THE HADLEY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Julie & Robie Weary
H
In Her Mother’s Memory
adley has long been part of Julie and Robie Weary’s
family. The Wearys raised two sons in Northfield,
Illinois and Julie’s earliest memory of Hadley was
buying holiday cards at the school. She began her writing
career during this time after a simple comment from a
teacher—“You should be a writer.” Julie said, “A little
encouragement
can go a long way.”
Today she is a
published author
with a book and
magazine articles to
her credit.
Robie grew up
in Hubbard Woods
(Winnetka, Illinois),
attending North
Shore Country Day
School just as his
mother had. After college he enjoyed a sales and
marketing career, eventually becoming a designer
of trade show exhibits. Robie also served as police
commissioner in Northfield for 13 years. One of
his fondest memories was listening to Dr. Richard
Kinney (Hadley’s deaf-blind president) speak
at school assemblies. Robie’s mother, Joan, who
passed in 2003, was very involved with Hadley’s
Woman’s Board, serving as president from 1966-67; his
father, Rollin, remains a loyal supporter today.
Julie grew up in Wisconsin where her family owned
the Bidinger Music Store in Kenosha. As Julie’s mother,
Virginia L. Bidinger, aged, she began to lose her vision
due to high blood pressure which caused bleeding in the
retina. As her condition grew steadily worse, the family
didn’t know what to do. Julie came to Hadley one day and
inquired about devices she could purchase. She learned
Hadley does not sell equipment, but Rose, Hadley’s
receptionist, passed on catalogs and other information that
Julie said “was more helpful than she’ll ever know.” They
purchased tape recorders with big buttons, large bridge
cards and magnifiers. Her father began reading to his wife
and found it increasingly frustrating to realize this strong,
competent woman could no longer take care of things.
Julie said, “People just didn’t understand what
was happening to my mother and became impatient.”
Even her old friends didn’t follow up and withdrew,
leaving her lonely. Eventually, Julie’s parents
moved to the Milwaukee Catholic Home where
she could receive assistance. Julie commented that
a support group would have been helpful and
believes it’s easier to find one today with the help
of the Internet.
Julie became a benefactor to Hadley following
her mother’s passing in 2006. She says, “I feel
better doing
something in my
mother’s memory.
Hadley is my
main thing now.
I like the fact that
I am able to be
more involved.” In
2014, the Wearys
were co-hosts for a
reception featuring
Steve Beres, a
blinded Iraq/
Afghanistan veteran who shared that Hadley gave him
the confidence to go on after his vision loss. In February,
Julie and Robie hosted a reception in Vero Beach in her
mother’s honor to introduce the Low Vision Focus @
Hadley to area friends. Julie is impressed by all of Hadley’s
programs that serve students throughout the country—
“all from that little building.” She added, “Hadley is a
wonderful resource that needs our support. Low vision is
something that can happen to any of us as we age.” l
To learn how you can invest in Hadley’s educational
programs or sponsor a course, contact Shari Burton
at 847.784.2765 or [email protected].
WWW.HADLEY.EDU | 800.323.4238 | 3
COVER STORY: UNIFIED ENGLISH BRAILLE
Hadley Takes the Lead in Teaching UEB
T
he Braille Authority of North America (BANA)
recently adopted the Unified English Braille Code
(known as UEB) and targeted January 2016 as the
date of the transition. Taking a leadership role, Hadley is
developing courses that teach the recent changes to the
braille code to both visual and tactile braille users.
So, what is different about UEB? Braille letters and
numbers stay the same in the current literary code. UEB
makes changes to punctuation, but most of the rules
remain the same. The major change occurs in the use of
contractions (as in contracted braille). UEB eliminates
nine contractions, and others are used more often.
Hadley has created a team of experts to develop
new braille courses and revise existing ones. Led by
braille instructor Judy Matsuoka and senior curriculum
designer and BANA representative Ruth Rozen,
Hadley activated a new course in January called
“Transitioning to Unified English Braille.” The course
provides a structured approach to learning the difference
between EBAE (English Braille American Edition) and
UEB. Examples and exercises help students progress
easily and transition to the new code.
The transition course is currently available in
braille and large print to students in Hadley’s Adult
Continuing Education/High School Program and Family
Education Program, free of charge, on an ongoing basis.
Thanks to a generous gift from the American Printing
House for the Blind, the course is also free of charge to
professionals through the end of 2015. While an online
version is in development, the course already has proven
to be popular—more than 500 pre-enrollments were
taken prior to activation in January.
“Hadley is proud to be at the forefront of providing
training on UEB,” says Hadley President Chuck Young.
“To this day, braille represents our most popular courses.
Instruction in UEB is central to our mission and meets
a critical need for both sighted and tactile learners.”
Hadley is currently updating two existing courses,
“Braille Literacy 3” (for tactile users) and “Introduction
to Braille” (for sighted users). In time for BANA’s
implementation of UEB in 2016, Hadley will update
“Braille Literacy 4” (for tactile users) and “Contracted
Braille” (for sighted users). l
HADLEY WELCOMES NEW TRUSTEES
The Hadley School for the Blind is pleased to announce
the addition of two new members to its Board of Trustees.
Jeffrey Willian was nominated and approved at the Annual
Meeting in October and Dr. Michael Stosich was nominated
and approved at the board meeting in December.
Mr. Willian is a senior partner with
the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis in
Chicago and has been with the firm
for approximately 27 years, serving
as a trial lawyer in its litigation area.
A Winnetka native who now lives in
Glencoe, Illinois, he received his B.S.
in finance from Miami University and
J.D. from American University. His
wife, Marchell, is also a lawyer and Hadley trustee, as is his
father Clyde. His mother, Patti, was a past trustee, a member
of Hadley’s Woman’s Board and founder of the Friends
of Hadley. Mr. Willian has three children and a number of
interests, including golf, fishing, running, reading and hiking.
Michael Stosich, DMD, is an
orthodontist in private practice in
Grayslake and Kenilworth, Illinois,
as well as a craniofacial orthodontist
with The University of Chicago
Hospital and Comer Children’s
Hospital, Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery. He is also a
faculty member with The University
of Chicago. Dr. Stosich received his B.S. in Biomedical
Engineering from the University of Illinois; M.S. from Columbia
University; Doctor of Dental Medicine, M.S. in Oral Biology
and Orthodontics Speciality Certificate from Temple University
School of Dentistry and University of Pennsylvania. He is a
member of a dozen professional organizations, has received
numerous awards and is a sought-after presenter in his field.
Dr. Stosich actively supports the Smiles Change Lives
Foundation, Smiles for Service and Fresh Start Caring for Kids
Foundation. He lives in Wilmette, Illinois with his wife, Gerel,
who is a dentist, and their new baby boy.
4 | GENERATIONS — SPRING 2015 | THE HADLEY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
FORSYTHE CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Entrepreneurs of Excellence
I
n February 2014, the Forsythe
Center for Employment and
Entrepreneurship (FCE) announced
a partnership with the National
Association of Blind Merchants
(NABM), an advocacy association of
blind people who are self-employed
as Randolph-Sheppard vendors. The
Randolph-Sheppard Act is a federal
law which mandates a priority to blind
persons to operate vending facilities
on federal property. There are about
2,100 Randolph-Sheppard vendors
in the United States who manage
vending facilities, gift shops and
cafeterias in government buildings,
military bases and interstate rest stops.
The NABM issues certificates
designating a Randolph-Sheppard
vendor as an Entrepreneur of
Excellence, upon completion of online
Hadley courses. Randolph-Sheppard
vendors use this certification as proof
of continuing education, which may
aid in obtaining better work sites.
The first two students to complete
the program were recognized at
NABM’s Business Leadership
and Superior Training (BLAST)
Conference in November 2014.
Heather Schey was born with
retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited,
degenerative eye disease that leads
to blindness. She has completed her
entrepreneurship training
and is ready to open her
business—a vending
facility offering coffee,
sandwiches and salads.
“My business has given
me a sense of purpose
and accomplishment.
Although I had
a background in
customer service, the
courses provided me with in-depth
knowledge,” says Heather.
Gary Nelson’s family has been
involved in the Randolph-Sheppard
Vendor Program since 1958. Over his
27-year career, Gary has run varied
businesses, from small snack bars to
large-scale cafeterias. Since 1992, his
business, Liberty Enterprises, has had
12-14 locations with a total of 80
employees.
Together with Kevan Worley, the
executive director of NABM, Gary
serves as the co-chair of the committee
of operators working with Colorado’s
Business Enterprise Program (BEP).
As a leader in the industry, Gary
enrolled in the FCE to earn his
Entrepreneur of Excellence certificate,
to serve as an ambassador for the
program and share firsthand his
knowledge with other vendors. Gary
sees the Randolph-Sheppard Program
GIVE A GIFT AND RECEIVE AN INCOME
A gift to Hadley doesn’t have to be a one-way proposition. With a Charitable Gift
Annuity, you can help support Hadley’s mission and have an income stream for
life with valuable income-tax benefits. A gift annuity is simply a contract between
you and Hadley, whereby you give the school a specified amount of money
(minimum of $10,000 cash or appreciated stock). You receive a charitable tax
deduction, and Hadley makes annual payments to one or more beneficiaries
(annuitants). For more information or to receive a personalized Summary of
Benefits, please contact Shari Burton, 847.784.2765 or [email protected].
Heather Schey and Gary Nelson, the FCE’s
first recipients of the Entrepreneurship of
Excellence Certificate
as one of the best career opportunities
for visually impaired individuals. “If
you have an entrepreneurial spirit
and put effort into it, you can be very
successful with the vending program.
Hadley provides you with the tools
you need to achieve that success.”
Hadley and NABM have now
launched national Business Enterprise
Program Licensee Training (BEPLT).
The BEPLT consists of a series of 11
Hadley online business modules that
cover the classroom portion of BEP
training. Topics range from vending
management to customer service. l
FCE DONORS
Sandy and Rick Forsythe
Bernard A. Newcomb Foundation
Fred J. Brunner Foundation
Martin and Mary L. Boyer Foundation
Alliant Credit Union Foundation
Siragusa Foundation
GCM Grosvenor
VisionCorps Foundation
Martin and Susan Kozak Fund
Mr. Omer G. Voss, Jr.
Mr. M. Gray Stevens
Mr. & Mrs. Scott B. Dickes
Mr. & Mrs. Garrick M. Rice
WWW.HADLEY.EDU | 800.323.4238 | 5
LOW VISION FOCUS @ HADLEY
Support Group Leader Empowers Members
B
onnie Hibel began losing her sight in 1999 from
ischemic optic neuropathy, a loss of the structure
and function of the optic nerve, due to obstruction
of blood flow to the nerve. It is sometimes referred to as
“stroke of the optic nerve” and results in loss of visual
acuity and field of vision.
Bonnie was 58 when her sight loss began and was not
ready to give up working. Her career in the computer
industry ranged from programming to training. After
completing basic orientation and mobility training, she
learned adaptive techniques and how to use accessible
software like ZoomText, a magnification and screen
reading program. She then worked with the National
Telecommuting Institute until retiring at age 72.
You have to choose to
move forward and
learn new ways
of doing things
Bonnie now lives at Sun City, an active lifestyle
residential community for adults age 55 and over in
Huntley, Illinois. There she runs a low vision support
group called M’Eye that has about 20 members. They
meet regularly to discuss coping strategies and topics
important to those living with low vision.
As someone who has been living with sight loss for
15 years, Bonnie is eager to help others realize that low
vision doesn’t have to
stop them from doing the
things they love.
Bonnie was looking
for a resource for her
next M’Eye meeting and
discovered the Low Vision
Focus @ Hadley (LVF).
“I love the LVF audio
lessons because they focus
on simple, everyday tasks
that one can easily relearn
when they lose their
sight—cooking, laundry or labeling medications. When
they realize they can still do these things, it gives them
the confidence and self-esteem needed to move on and
remain independent,” she explains.
Bonnie says she never stops learning, making a point
each year to take on a new challenge—even something
simple. This year, she created her own adaptive
techniques that have allowed her to paint her nails.
Bonnie says the resources offered by the LVF give
common sense solutions to alleviate the fear that can
come from losing one’s sight.
“Instead of saying, ‘I can’t see, I can’t cook anymore,’
you learn that you can, and that’s what the LVF offers—
ways to learn that you can,” says Bonnie. l
See a complete listing of the free Low Vision Focus Audio
Recordings available on the back cover of this issue.
LOW VISION FOCUS UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP
Doug Anzlovar, Dean of Educational Programs and Instruction at Hadley,
has assumed, on an interim basis, the additional responsibility of the
management and leadership of Low Vision Focus @ Hadley, following the
departure of Tom McCarville. A Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
(CVRT), Doug joined Hadley as a faculty member in 2008 and was
promoted in 2011. He will be responsible for overseeing the rollout of the
Low Vision Focus @ Hadley, including the development and distribution
of new resources to support older adults with age-related vision loss,
including audio recordings focused on adaptive living skills, new videos
and webinars. He will also help develop partnerships with other agencies
to reach consumers, caregivers and professionals in the field.
6 | GENERATIONS — SPRING 2015 | THE HADLEY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
STUDENT AWARD WINNERS
Hadley Recognizes Student Achievements
F
or more than 50 years, Hadley has presented student
awards at its Annual Meeting. Winners are chosen
for outstanding achievement. In 2014, Hadley’s
seven award winners included a small business owner;
a veteran; a braille reader with macular degeneration; a
teacher of the visually impaired; a farmer working toward
a high school degree; a grandmother supporting her blind
grandson; and a special education teacher from India who
is the mother of a blind daughter.
Student of the Year Award
Jeanette McAllister, VA
Jeanette McAllister lost her sight suddenly in 2010. She
heard about Hadley and decided to enroll to learn braille
to retain her literacy. Jeanette is the founder and president
of A Heart Staffing, a professional job placement firm.
She now uses braille every day in her work. “Hadley has
furthered my career in more ways than I could have ever
imagined,” says Jeanette.
Donald Wing Hathaway Lifelong Learning Award
Sammie Clay, DC
Prior to losing her sight due to glaucoma, Sammie Clay
was in the United States Air Force for 20 years. She
learned about Hadley through the VA in West Haven,
Connecticut. Sammie has taken 19 Hadley courses since
2004. “Hadley and my BrailleNote make it possible for
me to live and work in the 21st century,” says Sammie.
Dean W. Tuttle Professional Education Award
Kathy Blake, NH
Kathy Blake first enrolled at Hadley to learn braille,
which led to her decision to pursue a graduate degree in
Vision Studies. She now works as a teacher of the visually
impaired (TVI). “I love seeing collaboration between a
student who reads braille music and their sighted peers.
The cohesion and integration because of access is critical
in the lives of all students,” says Kathy.
Richard Kinney Challenge of Living Award
Gary Griffin, IN
Gary Griffin began losing his vision at age eight due
to a hereditary condition. He dropped out of school at
age 16 and worked on a farm for many years until his
vision loss prevented him from performing his job safely.
He decided to enroll at Hadley to earn his high school
diploma. “I realized that whether I liked it or not, the
world was going into the future, with or without me.”
Front Row: Sammie Clay, Patricia Kingwell; Back Row: Kathy Blake,
Kimberly Common, Jeanette McAllister, Annapurna Maruvada
International Student of the Year Award
Annapurna Maruvada, India
When Annapurna learned that her daughter, Rashimi,
would be blind, she had many questions and doubts,
until she learned about Hadley. “When I got my first
course materials, I couldn’t believe it. Suddenly, there was
all the information I’d been looking for.” Annapurna was
inspired to become a special educator and now works for
the Society for the Visually Handicapped in India.
Braille Student of the Year Award
Patricia Kingwell, FL
Patricia developed macular degeneration four years ago
and panicked at the thought of being unable to read. “I’ve
always loved to read. People said that I didn’t have to learn
braille because I could get books on tape, but that wasn’t
the answer for me.” At age 70, she started taking piano
lessons and plans to take Hadley’s braille music course.
Robert J. Winn Family Education Award
Kimberly Common, FL
Kimberly Common’s six-year-old grandson, Jerry, has
been blind since birth. Kimberly wanted to take an active
a role in her grandson’s development, so she enrolled at
Hadley to learn braille and other skills to support him.
“The Hadley School for the Blind has been the biggest
contributor of my focus on Jerry’s vision impairment
journey,” says Kimberly. l
Read more about Hadley’s Student Award Winners and
watch our student story videos at hadley.edu/students.
WWW.HADLEY.EDU | 800.323.4238 | 7
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www.hadley.edu
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NEW AUDIO RECORDINGS
Hadley recently updated a series of 10 audio
recordings about adaptive living skills as part of
its new Low Vision Focus. The recordings are
free and soon will be available on CD:
Basic Tactile Marking
Using various materials to create tactile markers—
marking different household items to distinguish them
Simple Home Modifications
Strategies to make your household low vision-friendly
Getting Around the House
Techniques to increase indoor mobility at home
Looking Your Best
Personal care tips for yourself and in your home
Keeping Prescriptions in Order
Getting and managing your prescription routines
Making the Kitchen User Friendly
Making the kitchen safe and functional; clearing clutter
Going Out for a Meal
Tips and tricks to go out and enjoy a meal in public
Low Vision Cooking
Safety techniques to make cooking enjoyable
Going Out with a Friend
Navigate places and situations outside of your home
Doing Simple Kitchen Tasks
Make daily kitchen and household tasks easier
Audio Recordings will be available April 15th
Find out more at LowVisionFocus.org or call 855-830-5355.