In this issueToday’s Miracle Workers
Sharing the Spirit
Someone Who Writes
How to Help
S P R I N G 2 0 0 6
The Lantern
Please join us as wetake a look at today’sMiracle’s Workers.
Message f rom the Pres ident
At Perkins School for the Blind we know a lot about the tremendous
accomplishments of our alumnae Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. We know
about the famous stage play and film, The Miracle Worker. We also know that
behind what is sometimes perceived as a miracle is in fact the result of hours,
months and years of hard work.
Every page of The Lantern magazine is filled with accomplishments that some
might call miracles. We hope that you will come to understand that there is
challenging work, unparalleled dedication and remarkable skill behind these
accomplishments. This includes the children and adults we serve on campus,
in the community and internationally.
We are pleased to bring you an overview of today’s Miracle Workers. They
are teachers, program aides, and therapists. They are social workers and
vocational teachers. They are all of our staff who work directly with Perkins
students and those who provide valuable support. We are grateful for their
dedication and the difference they make everyday. We hope you will be, too.
On behalf of the students, staff, families, alumni, volunteers, and trustees of
Perkins School for the Blind, thank you for being a part of the Perkins family.
Sincerely,
Steven M. Rothstein
President
Perkins School for the Blind
Cover: A speech & languagepathologist and a program aidework with children in PerkinsPreschool Program.
Today’s Miracle Workers ......page 4
Sharing the Spirit ......................page 8
Someone Who Writes ............page 10
Reflections at Perkins ............page 12
How to Help ..............................page 18
Contents
The Lantern SPRING 2006
VOLUME LXXV, NUMBER 2
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18
TODAY’S
24 hour education plan
MIRACLEWORKERS
A science teacher in PerkinsSecondary Program helps studentsunderstand the concept of a circuit.
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Remarkable things happen every day at Perkins School for the Blind. Ababy learns to lift up his head without the incentive of something to look at. A mother learns that whenher child turns away, he’s not avoiding her but repositioning himself in order to better hear her. Apreschooler takes his first steps with a training cane that looks like two upside down candy-canes. Ayoung boy understands that the bumps beneath his fingers represent a word. A high school studentuses a voice reproduction system on her computer to email her sighted and blind friends. A teenagerwho’s deafblind begins his first day of part-time work.
Some would say that these events are miracles.
They’re not. They are the result of hard work. They
are the result of children trying to be their best and
having faith in the possible. They are also the result
of the guidance of Perkins’ staff.
In The Miracle Worker stage play and film, Anne
Sullivan, a Perkins alumna herself, works tirelessly
one-on-one with young Helen Keller. But in today’s
reality, at Perkins School for the Blind the more
things change, the more they stay the same. Many
children receive individual attention, such as
preschoolers who are blind learning to eat indepen-
dently and students in high school developing skills
to triumph over being both blind and dyslexic. In
addition, just as Helen Keller did, students of all ages
and abilities in all programs learn through touch.
Yet there is a profound difference between the
C O N T I N U E D . . .
Social workers and teachers are among the team that work with families inPerkins Infant/Toddler Program.
An orientation & mobility specialist helps a Lower Schoolstudent learn to navigate safely.
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original Miracle Worker and today at Perkins.
While Helen Keller only had Anne Sullivan,
Perkins students now have a group of profession-
als assembled around them. A Perkins education
is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Classroom
teachers help with academic skills and preparation
for today’s rigorous standardized tests such as
MCAS. Orientation & mobility specialists help
students learn how to get around safely. Physical,
speech and occupational therapists are key mem-
bers of a student’s team, as are psychologists,
nurses and other on-campus health professionals.
Program aides support students in the classroom,
the dining room and getting ready for bed.
Everyone works together with one goal – helping
students reach for their best.
Just as Perkins sent Anne Sullivan off campus
to help Helen Keller at the child’s home, Perkins
staff today travels the state of Massachusetts, help-
ing babies and toddlers in their homes. Today
they also visit public schools to support main-
streamed students who are blind. Staff also train
professionals across New England and write books
used by teachers and families around the world.
Anne Sullivan traveled overnight from Boston
to the Keller residence in Tuscumbia, Alabama.
Today, Perkins staff fly overnight to developing
countries to help establish, expand and support
programs for deafblind children and children who
are blind with additional disabilities. Through the
Hilton/Perkins Program, we train professionals to
lead their own services for these children who too
often are left behind.
The legacy of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller
is thriving for over 70,000 people served directly by
Perkins every year. Today’s miracle workers are still
the Perkins staff who work hard to help in so many
different ways. ■
TODAY’SMIRACLE
WORKERS continued
A vocational teacher helps a student develop moneyskills in the Perkins student-run snack bar.
A program aide and a Secondary Program student.
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Since our founding, Perkins School for the Blind has been the teacher of teachers.
This past year we trained over 2,000 teachers and other professionals in public
schools. To help ensure the future of teacher training programs at Perkins, we
recently received a $150,000 challenge grant from an anonymous donor. All
gifts and donations for teacher training will be matched by that generous donor.
A classroom teacher and student in Lower School.
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Wednesday, May 10th, come to campus to share the spirit of Perkins. Cocktails in our historicHowe Building, dinner under a tent, and performances by students make for a heartfelt andinspiring evening. Visit the What’s New area of the Perkins Website, www.perkins.org, or call 617-972-7583 to learn about becoming part of our annual fundraiser and making a difference to the 70,000 people we directly serve every year.
Perkins Spring 2006 Gala — A World of Possibilities...begins on the Perkins campus
Sharing the Spirit:
You can make a difference at Perkins School for the Blind. We need your help. Please see page18 for ways to be involved.
Exciting ways to help Perkins School for the Blind
Seeing PossibilitiesThe Perkins Strategic Plan 2005-2010, Seeing
Possibilities, charts a dynamic course of strength-
ening services and reaching out. Please visit the
About Us page of www.perkins.org to learn how
Perkins sees the next five years of possibility. You
can download the brochure or choose a text-only
version. Join our vision, for as Helen Keller said,
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so
much.” In the next five years, Perkins will:
• Ensure that we prepare students for achanging and competitive environment.
• Reach babies, students and elders who are not receiving adequate services.
• Expand internationally.
• Build partnerships with advocates,donors and volunteers.
Having your cake and eating it, too!Planned Giving at Perkins
To learn more about donating to Perkins, receiving lifelong income as well
as tax breaks, contact Alleather Touré at 617-972-7680 to subscribe to the
Thomas H. Perkins Legacy Society Newsletter. Learn how you can increase
your fixed income while also helping Perkins.
... All we see is possibility
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When asked by a Boston Globe reporter what she wants out of life, Katie Condoresponded, “I want to be someone who writes something really good.” Katie grew up with herfamily in Hull, Massachusetts, and has been a high school student in Perkins Secondary Programfor two years. She plans to study to become a lawyer. This year Katie won a speech competitionat Perkins. Here’s an excerpt of her work.
Someonewho writes
“My name is Katie Condo. I’m sixteen years
old and I was born with a condition known as
cerebral palsy which confines me to an electric
wheelchair. To most people, cerebral palsy
would be a devastation to themselves and to
their families, but my family is special. My aunt
once told me that she wasn’t concerned about
my disability, she was just happy I was alive.
My family’s positive attitude has carried me
throughout my entire life, so I am not daunted
by this big metal machine I sit in every day and
neither are they.
I can’t speak of my family without mentioning
my grandmother, Carol Conant, who is the
epitome of positive; she is the glue that holds
the family together. She is one of those people
who can do everything, from sewing your prom
dress, to hot-wiring your wheelchair. Our phi-
losophy on the importance of family originates
with her. We are taught that family is the most
important thing, and that being together is a
rare blessing that we should be happy to receive.
Because of this attitude, she is the kind of
woman I want to be, and even if I am only half
the woman she grew to become, I will be happy.
A couple of weeks ago, she gave me quite a
compliment. She told me I would be the one to
hold the family together after she passed away.
I would be the one to have all the parties, fund
the annual camping trip, host Thanksgiving,
and carry on the family traditions. At first this
prediction shocked me, but then I realized being
so close to her, I had been preparing for this role
all my life.
. . . Having a severe disability can sometimes
make it difficult to get up in the morning
because sometimes I think if I can’t get up by
myself, then what’s the use of getting up at all?
But then I think about people . . . like my grand-
mother, and I realize that maybe there really IS
a reason to get up in the morning, and they
have faith in me, so I should have faith in
myself! Besides, I have to fill my grandmother’s
shoes someday . . . and those are pretty big
shoes to fill.” ■
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P E R K I N S P E O P L E A N D H A P P E N I N G S O N A N D O F F C A M P U S
REFLECTIONSREFLECTIONS
More than Horsing Around Because the family meeting room of the Perkins Infant/Toddler Program is carpeted, two miniature
horses did not have to wear their sneakers when visiting. The two potty-trained horses under 30
inches tall traveled from Hearts and Hooves of the Berkshires (in a truck closer to the size of a van)
to spend a morning at Perkins with babies, toddlers and their families. The soft, gentle horses let
everyone pet them or nestle close. Groups of families in the Infant/Toddler program meet once a
week, and conversations are often about some of the challenges of having children who are blind,
deafblind or blind with additional disabilities. The morning of horses was a morning of fun –
and education – helping a baby learn that, even if she can’t see it, there is an exciting world at
her fingertips.
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The Jazz Inside Us AllAdvanced music students at Perkins hung on
every word and note when jazz composer/pianist
Lisa Hilton conducted a Master Class. Hilton
encouraged students to write music as well as
play it, explaining that “music is about
expressing what we feel inside. Think about
something you’d like to express and how you
can put that to sound. Create a story from that
feeling you have inside.” She also gave a concert
for all of Perkins. “Most kids love jazz; all they
need is to be introduced to it and they’re happy
and smiling.” The faces of staff and students in
the audience proved Hilton’s words true.
Braillers in KenyaStudents who are blind or visually impaired in Kenya are getting
valuable tools for independence. With support from the Hilton
Foundation, The Safaricom Foundation donated 30 Perkins
Braillers for the African Braille Center to distribute to the
schools and education programs with the greatest need. Now
hundreds of students will have the opportunity to use Perkins
Braillers, the pencil and paper for people who are blind. Braille
skills help build independent young adults who will help
improve the lives of those around them. Thank you to all
foundations, groups and individuals who are helping to develop
a new generation of braille readers and society changers.
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A Snorin’ Roarin’ SleepoverOutreach Elementary Weekends bring together
students, ages six-12, who are often the only
children who are blind or visually impaired in their
public schools. Music & movement, reading &
recording at the Perkins Braille & Talking Book
Library and an overnight for Boston students in the
Franklin Park Zoo Tropical Rain Forest were all
ways to make new friends this year. Everyone needs
peers, so the opportunity to meet and share
stories was invaluable and equally as thrilling as
petting exotic animals, riding the Polar Express
Train and producing an audio tape. Thank you to
The Boston Foundation and The Baupost Group
for supporting the zoo event and helping Perkins
reach out to diverse and underserved communities.
Perkins students know about the possibility of discrimination. They know it from their own lives
and from their studies. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day strikes a chord at Perkins. At this year’s
celebration, Perkins chorus and chamber singers performed gospel songs, and a high school
student gave a speech in tribute to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. Students were moved to hear
Justice Julian Houston read from his book, New Boy, about being the first black student at his
boarding school. “We have come a long way,” said Perkins President Steven Rothstein in closing
the morning’s events, “but we also have a long way to go to make sure each and every one of you
are not judged by your vision or lack of vision.”
Keeping the Spirit Alive
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The Way of BrailleBraille is the key to employment and independence. Braille is literacy. It’sreading, writing and communicating. “Braille revolutionized the lives ofpeople who are blind, deafblind and visually impaired,” says Kim Charlson,Director of Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library and chair of the BrailleAuthority of North America.
Today that key is being lost. “Technology is both a blessing and a curse,” saysAubrey Webson, head of Perkins programs in Africa and the Caribbean andChairperson of the World Braille Council. “It has increased access toinformation, but at the same time will probably result in an increased numberof blind children who are growing up illiterate. While most people wouldnever imagine telling a sighted first-grader that she didn’t need to learn toread because she could listen to tapes or computers instead, that’s exactlywhat’s happening to many children who are blind.”
Over 70% of blind people are unemployed or underemployed, yet 85%of those who are braille literate are employed.
At Perkins, we believe that every blind child whocan learn braille should be given the opportunityto do so. We teach braille in our classrooms, leadbraille trainings for professionals and produceand distribute the Perkins Brailler around the world.
To learn more about braille, please visitwww.perkins.org and click on “What’s New” toaccess Resource Packets that includes informationon braille, or visit the Perkins history museum inthe Howe Building of our Watertown campusfrom 1 to 4 on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.
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The Heart of JumpingPerkins Annual Jump Rope for Heart is a win from all angles. Perkins students get important
exercise, a vital part of Perkins’ 24-hour education plan. Everyone has a chance to jump,
including children in wheelchairs who get to roll back and forth over the rope or get a
temporary lift from staff. The American Heart Association receives money raised in this
student-led fundraiser. Perkins students enjoy giving back to the community, but above all
everyone gets the satisfaction of helping.
Technology—Preparing for the FutureThe Web is a great equalizer for people who are blind.
Speech translation equipment, screen readers and other
devices make it possible for Perkins students to surf the
Web and have access to the same information available to
sighted people. Because computers, the Web and assistive
technology open doors to further education and
employment, Perkins has recently increased the number
of computers and printers in all cottages. The Secondary
Program residential cottages now have WIFI, wireless
internet access. As a part of Perkins 24-hour education
program, students are surfing their way into the future.
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Everyone’s Best FriendFor two students in Perkins Deafblind Program,
volunteering at Buddy Dog is more than good old-
fashioned fun. It’s an important part of building
vocational skills. One morning a week, these two
students travel with their vocational teacher/job
coach to the shelter for dogs and cats. They help with
feeding, cleaning and the essential task of petting the
animals. The boys learn about keeping a schedule,
accountability and responsibility. Perkins graciously
thanks Buddy Dog and the 39 other local businesses
that have provided job training to Perkins students.
Thank you for giving Perkins students the chance
to prove themselves.
After the TsunamiLast year Perkins students and staff raised funds to
help students at the Ratmalana School for the Blind in
Sri Lanka whose family homes were devastated by the
Indian Ocean tsunami. We knew the teachers and
children because the Hilton/Perkins Program had
been providing technical and professional support
before the disaster. Funds from Perkins students and
staff have been used to buy clothing and household
items for the families associated with the school and
to provide food and books for all families of the
village. In addition, the Hilton/Perkins program has
increased its work with the school to open an
additional classroom for children who are deafblind.
The effects of the tsunami will be felt for decades. We
are grateful that in one small way Perkins students
and the Hilton/Perkins Program have been able to
make sure that some of those effects are positive.
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How to Help
There are many ways to make a difference atPerkins. Join others who are helping children and adults whoare blind, deafblind or have multiple disabilities reach theirgreatest possible independence. Here are some ideas:
• Make a gift of cash, stock, or personal property.
• Make a gift online at www.perkins.org/donate
• Leave a legacy by remembering Perkins School for the Blind in your will.
• Provide yourself or your loved ones with income for life by establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity.
• Create an endowed fund supporting a special program.
• Donate through your employer’s matching gift program or payroll deduction program. You might double or triple your contribution to Perkins!
• Honor a loved one with a memorial or tribute gift for birthdays, weddings, graduations and other important events.
• Volunteer by giving a few hours a month — or more — and find out how much of a difference you can makein the life of another.
For more information on any of these opportunities, please call Jan Spitz at 617-972-7465 or visit www.perkins.org.
Photo credits: David Gordon, p. 13 (top); John Kennard, cover, 3(top 3) 4 - 7, 9 - 11, 15; Perkins Archives, 2, 3 (bottom), 13 (bottom),14, 16 - 19.
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Every year Perkins Outreach Services sends public school students who are blindor visually impaired to Space Camp in Alabama where one learns what it is liketo be an astronaut.
Perkins School for the Blind175 North Beacon StreetWatertown, MA 02472
www.perkins.org
Tel: 617.924.3434Fax: 617.972.7334
All we see is possibility.
Editor: Robert Guthrie
Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage
PAIDWorcester, MA
Permit No. 2
TheLantern
Perkins School for the
Blind was incorporated
March 2, 1829. The school is
an accredited member of the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges and
the National Association of Independent
Schools. It is licensed by the Massachusetts
Departments of Education and Mental
Retardation and by the Commonwealth’s
Department of Early Education and Care.
Perkins School for the Blind admits
students of any race, gender, color, creed,
national and ethnic origin to all the rights,
privileges, programs, and activities generally
accorded or made available to students at the
school. It does not discriminate on the basis of
race, gender, color, creed, national or ethnic
origin in the administration of its educational
policies, scholarship, athletic and other school-
administered programs.
Change Service Requested
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PE R K I N S SC H O O L F O R T H E BL I N D