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Education

LightHouse News

You are invited to a very special Community Event at Enchanted Hills Camp: Author Cecelia Setty Speaks about Mt. Veeder’s History

Author Cecelia Setty will speak about the fascinating history of Mt. Veeder and the original Mt. Veeder Resort which is now home to Enchanted Hills.

When: Sunday, February 9, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp
Refreshments will be served
RSVP to afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org

Cecelia Setty

Grape grower Cecelia M. Setty has published two books on Napa’s history. “The Mount Veeder Resort” is about our very own mountain and “Atlas Peak” is about her family’s’ 90 year old ranch. Cecelia was born in Salinas, California and is a descendant of early pioneer families that settled in Napa in 1863-1866.

More About Mt. Veeder
You can also listen to a podcast of Hope Sinclair talking about growing up on the property that is now Enchanted Hills. Hope Sinclair’s father bought the land in 1927 and operated a boy’s camp there for more than 20 years. Hope herself spent much of her girlhood at camp in the 1930′s and 1940′s and developed a detailed love for the nature and history of the place. Listen to her stories of wild fire, a variety of tenacious mountain folk and the use of the land by a Blind Boy Scout troop from Berkeley years before it was purchased by Rose Resnick to open the first camp for the blind in the west coast in 1950. The podcast is found here at http://lbvi.staging.wpengine.com.com/blog/hope-sinclair-interview-august-6-2012-part-1-of-2/

For more information about Enchanted Hills Retreat, please call (415) 694-7310 or go to www.enchantedhillsretreat.com.

LightHouse News

O&M Teachers: Have We Got Maps for You!

During the month of March the LightHouse will begin distributing free maps and Smartpens to O&M Instructors and Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI’s). The LightHouse has mapped 43 BART stations, three views each: street, concourse and platform; because you want to know not just where trains go, but how to get in and out of, and around stations.

This innovative project, funded by a New Freedom grant, and developed in partnership with Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, is creating audio-tactile maps of each BART station and allows people with visual impairments to independently navigate this essential public transport system, enabling them to be active participants in their communities.

Imagine you’re holding an audio-tactile BART Station Map. You can feel the raised lines and braille symbols. A “b” inside an oval represents a bus stop; a “t” in a triangle a taxi stand; there are distinct symbols for stairs, elevators and escalators. Say you want to learn more about that bus stop. Tap it with the Smartpen and you hear “Bus stop on the East side of Mission Street. Buses from this stop: Muni 14, 14L and 49″. That’s far more information than could be squeezed as braille into the 5/8 inch oval on the page. And it’s printed on a piece of paper that fits into a standard binder.

The LightHouse has mapped 43 BART stations, three views each: street, concourse and platform; because blind travelers want to know not just where trains go, but how to get in and out of, and around stations.

During the month of March the LightHouse will begin distributing maps and Smartpens. If you are an O&M Specialist or TVI in the Bay Area who is currently teaching at least 50% time and would like these materials as aids to help your students develop the confidence to independently navigate this essential public transport system, we would like to hear from you. To receive your free maps and Smartpen please contact Greg Kehret, Director of Access to Information Services at gkehret@old.lighthouse-sf.org. Tell us what school district or agency you work for, and your complete contact information including postal mailing address.

Supplies are limited for this roll-out phase so our priority is to fulfill requests from O&M Specialists or TVI’s before making these maps available to the general public

We can Take Care of your Maps, Braille, Recording and other Needs
From braille, tactile maps and audio products to access consulting, the LightHouse is pleased to assist businesses and individuals in making needed information accessible. For more information on how the LightHouse can help with providing accessibility call Greg Kehret at 415-694-7349 or gkehret@old.lighthouse-sf.org

mielekehretdowneyBART

LightHouse News

No Drought in Learning – Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion at Enchanted Hills

While we’ve begun the year with a drought, there is no drought in learning and connecting here at beautiful Enchanted Hills Retreat where the end of January Immersion is going on as we write. The uncommonly warm weather and supportive staff are making the current immersion one of the most fun sessions ever. And with every immersion training comes a new twist – for this late January session there are two different LightHouse groups meeting: one, a group of deaf-blind students and the other a group of blind and low vision students. While their paths intersect during meals and going to and from classes, each group of students follow their groups’ curriculum of individual and group training.

Our Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion at Enchanted Hills is proving to be very popular, even in the heart of winter-time. We asked our participants why they are attending and here are some of the (anonymous) comments we received:

  • “I am experiencing both low vision and rapid hearing loss and I am looking at this time as a new adventure in my life.”
  • “I don’t want to isolate myself at home, I am here to learn a little of everything and create a plan for moving forward.”
  • “I want to learn new strategies and about useful tools so that I can continue with my work”
  • “Technology! I am focusing this time (a second-timer) on technology and becoming more self-assured.”
  • “I want this experience to be a jumping block to my future.”
  • “I know that I will learn some new skills, but I need to meet and talk with others who are experiencing and understanding some of the same daily life challenges I meet.”

Sook Hee Choi is facilitating the deaf-blind training which emphasizes tactile communication skills, access technology, mobility skills and independent living skills. Many of the deaf-blind students have already received telecommunication devices through the deaf-blind telecommunication program, and they have brought their devices to become more proficient in using them.

Meanwhile the LightHouse Rehabilitation Team is running its program for folks new or fairly-new to blindness. As with previous immersion retreats, we have brought together blind and low vision adults from the Bay Area all the way south to Watsonville and north to Crescent City, for this training. Students learn essential daily living skills; an introduction to braille and access technology; cane travel and mobility basics, and most important, they have the opportunity to connect with other students who are also there to learn.

Additionally, Dan O’Connor, a baker (who is both hard of hearing and low vision) is training in the Enchanted Hills kitchen as he hopes to be working with the crew come the summer. He is working with the teaching team on braille and technology skills in order to set up the kitchen so that it works for him and he can get his job done. What he learns here can also apply to any future work space he may have.

LightHouse Rehabilitation Counselor Debbie Bacon and Peer Mentor Manveen Chahal will be work with each student to develop a plan of action to follow when the week is done. While most students continue training at the LightHouse or in their community, having a plan keeps people committed and focused.

How can our Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training help you or someone you know? The next immersion training at Enchanted Hills will be held March 30th through April 4th. To find out more, contact Debbie Bacon at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Teaching braille to immersion students

Juliannah Harris teaching Stacey voice over with the iPhone

Dan O'Connor baking oatmeal cookies for lunch

Class by the warming fireplace: Deaf-Blind student Dorie Lee learns American Sign Language

LightHouse News

Stressed Out? Join our New Meditation and Stress Reduction Class

Learn to manage your stress through meditation. We meet every Wednesday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. It’s a drop-in group, so please feel free join in whenever you are able.

When: Wednesdays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters

Our meditation class is non-denominational and is open to everyone. The techniques in this class will help practitioners to achieve a healthier mental state and corresponding physical ease. We will learn a variety of meditation practices and whether you are familiar with meditation or a complete newcomer, this class is right for you.

About the instructor: Jeffrey Schneider is a meditation teacher who has lived, practiced and taught at the San Francisco Zen Center since 1978. He coordinates the Zen Center outreach programs and has taught meditation in prisons, drug and alcohol rehab facilities, in senior living complexes, to homeless youth and others. He has led classes, retreats and workshops here in San Francisco as well in other California locations, in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina.

To participate please RSVP with Molly Irish at mpearson@old.lighthouse-sf.org or call her at 415-694-7320.

dog5

LightHouse News

Walk Away With a Phone That Will Work For You – California Telephone Access Program Distribution Day at the LightHouse

On Friday March 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) will host a telephone equipment distribution day at the LightHouse. CTAP provides accessible telephones to persons who have completed an application and have been approved to receive one for their use. This event will provide those who have completed and approved applications the opportunity to meet with a trained CTAP staff person to work with you in selecting a specialized phone that meets your needs.

When: Friday, March 14, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
You must be approved by CTAP to qualify for a free phone

To qualify for a free phone, fill out a CTAP application and have the form signed by a doctor or certified professional (see form for who can sign). Then submit the signed form to CTAP for approval. It can take up to a week for your application to be processed. To fill out an application, please go to www.CaliforniaPhones.org or contact CTAP at 1-800-806-1191 or info@CaliforniaPhones.org.

Once your application has been approved, you can make an appointment to meet with a CTAP Representative, choose and be trained on a new accessible phone and take it home and start using it. When you come to your appointment you must bring your completed and approved (signed) application and a photo ID. To make an appointment please contact LightHouse Social Worker Jeff Carlson at 415-258-8496.

LightHouse News

LightHouse Deaf-Blind Project Is Changing Lives

Since 2012 the LightHouse has been the California agency leading the statewide Deaf-Blind Telecommunication Project supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The goal of this project is to help deaf-blind individuals from all over California communicate more effectively with their friends, family and service providers. As the lead agency of the project, the LightHouse has distributed accessible telecommunication equipment such as smartphones, computers and braille displays to eligible clients. Critical technology and braille training are also offered to help clients gain the skills to use the devices effectively.

The impact of this grant has been life changing. Our team, consisting of Deaf-Blind Specialist Sook Hee Choi, Access Technology Specialist Shen Kuan and Helen Keller Southwest Regional Rep Cathy Kirscher, plus several deaf and deaf-blind technology trainers, has assessed, supplied with equipment and trained more than 170 people who are deaf-blind.

Teresa Lambert (L) and trainer Mussie Gebre using an iPhone & Focus 14 portable Braille display
For example, Teresa Lambert has grown up deaf-blind and due to Usher Syndrome I her visual field has been narrowing significantly. Through the LightHouse Teresa received an iPhone and a portable Focus 14 braille display that allows her to access it. For the first time, she can email and text effectively, allowing her to be more independent and to connect with friends, family members, doctors and businesses, without asking for help.

Sisters Amanda and Cynthia Lee have also benefited from the grant and training through the LightHouse. Both of them are deaf-blind, also due to Usher Syndrome I. For much of their lives they had no way to contact family or paratransit and had to rely on others to make these calls. Though neither of them knew braille they knew this skill was necessary in order to take their independence to the next level. They began braille training and after furious practice over a month’s time they learned enough braille to be able to use iPhones and Focus 14 braille displays. Now they are confidently keeping their own schedules independently.

Sook Hee said, “Through this grant, we’ve discovered many people who have been isolated for a long time. They’ve never heard the word, “Wi-Fi”, let alone understood the concept. The response from people who are deaf-blind, blind and hard of hearing and those who are deaf and low vision (legally blind) has been tremendous.”

If you are a deaf-blind Californian (age 15 and over), and low income, you may qualify for this pilot program (eligibility is established by the FCC). Please email dbepinfo@old.lighthouse-sf.org to receive an application. Expect a 1-2 month wait to process new applications, complete equipment assessments and finally receive equipment. We look forward to hearing from you!

LightHouse News

Meet Employment Immersion Program Coordinator Justine Harris-Richburgh

Justine Harris-Richburgh has been working with Program Leader Kate Williams for almost six months as the Employment Immersion Program Coordinator. Recently she’s taken the lead with some of our classes and has been integral in helping our students who have been hired in achieving combined salaries of $1,250,000.

Justine has a rich background in Human Resources with a focus on employment and has worked for several agencies including Goodwill Industries, Lincoln Child Center and Trust for Public Land. She’s brought her professionalism as well as her warmth, compassion and sense of humor to the Employment Immersion program with her personal mission of helping individuals reach their full potential and independence through employment.

Justine told us, “I love what I do and where I work, and I want all my students in the Employment Immersion Program to experience the same kind of fun and challenge I do in the workplace.”Justine Harris-Richburgh

Are you ready to find a great job and earn enough to support yourself? Or are you looking for work for the first time? The next Employment Immersion class begins on March 18. It’s a small investment of time – just eight weeks will get you up-to-speed with the latest job-search methods, plus one-on-one counseling and interview practice in a warm, encouraging environment. For more information, call Justine Harris-Richburgh at 415-694-7320 or volunteer@old.lighthouse-sf.org. You’re also welcome to contact Kate Williams at 415-694-7324 or kwilliams@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse News

Start your New Year with New Skills and Life-Long Connections!

Are you newly losing vision and want to know how successful blind people deal with it? Or have you been blind or visually impaired for a while and want to be brought up to speed with an intensive connected introduction to the latest in skills and gadgets? Would you like to take part in an opportunity to learn new skills while enjoying the fresh air, tall redwoods and delicious, healthy meals at Enchanted Hills?

Throughout 2014 we are offering the following Changing Vision, Changing Life Immersion sessions:

• Sunday, January 26 through Friday, January 31, 2014
• Sunday, March 30 through Friday, April 4, 2014
• Sunday, June 8 through Friday, June 13, 2014
• Sunday, September 7 through Friday, September 12, 2014
Transportation is provided from LightHouse offices in San Francisco, Berkeley and the North Coast.

We also offer training in our San Francisco, Marin and North Coast offices. To learn more about trainings in Napa and in San Francisco, contact Debbie Bacon, Rehabilitation Counselor at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org. For training in San Rafael, contact Jeff Carlson, Social Worker at 415-258-8496 or jcarlson@old.lighthouse-sf.org. Del Norte and Humboldt county residents may call Janet Pomerantz at 707-268-5646 and e-mail jpomerantz@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Students on their way to catch bus that will take them to dinner in Napa

LightHouse News

Connect the Dots: LightHouse Promotes Braille

Learn to Put Style in Your Slate and Stylus – Improve Your Slating Skills Workshop
Braille aficionados say there’s nothing like the simplicity of the always-available slate and stylus to jot down an email or take class notes. Having trouble conquering the slate and stylus? Well, no need to worry because slate enthusiasts Lisamaria Martinez and Serena Olsen are here to guide you.

If you are considering taking the National Certified Literary Braille exam (see below), and you need an additional boost to your slating skills, sign up for this one night workshop designed to help you connect the dots.

Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
When: Wednesday January 8, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
This workshop is free.

Please RSVP to Lisamaria Martinez at info@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-431-1481 by Monday January 6, which incidentally is the birthday of Louis Braille.


Start January Right: Get a National Certification in Literary Braille
Stand out among teachers of the blind and visually impaired! Don’t miss this opportunity to hold this important, nationally recognized certification of literary braille proficiency. The National Certification in Literary Braille (NCLB) test will be administered by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB).

When: Saturday, January 25, 2014 from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters

To find out more information and to register for this important test, please go to the NBPCB website: www.nbpcb.org/nclb. Deadline for registration is January 13. For questions and possible future testing opportunities, please email braille@nbpcb.org or call 318-257-4554.


Compete in the Northern California Regional Braille Challenge!

When: Saturday, March 1, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Deadline to register is Friday, February 7.

Northern California’s blind and low vision youth in grades 1-12 are invited to compete in a series of braille skills challenges demonstrating braille reading and comprehension; speed and accuracy;  spelling; proofreading and tactile graphics. Awards will be presented to the top three participants within each of the five grade level groups. Everyone who competes is recognized. Winners may qualify to compete in the 2014 National Braille Challenge to be held at Braille Institute in Los Angeles, CA.

Register with John Liang, LightHouse Director of Community Services, at jliang@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7334.

The Braille Challenge is a National Program of Braille Institute and is hosted by LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired (San Francisco), in collaboration with Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, California School for the Blind, and Braille Institute of America.

Volunteers Needed:

Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, Transcribers and Braillists are needed to serve as Proctors and Scorers for this exciting event. Please contact Alice McGrath at amcgrath@vistacenter.org or 650-858-0202, ext. 130.

hand using slate and stylus

LightHouse News

Go Take a Hike! LightHouse Consults on Accessible Topographic Map of Redwood Creek Watershed

The LightHouse’s Access to Information Services has produced several braille brochures and tactile trail maps for Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). We’ve also provided training to GGNRA personnel on providing access and accommodation to people with disabilities and consulted on such things as audio tours and topographic maps.

Recently we visited a sculptor’s space for molding in Berkeley where we were asked to review the clay stage of the Redwood Creek Watershed topographic map she has been working on for the GGNRA. Measuring approximately 10 feet by 5 feet, the scale is much larger than the recently unveiled Lands End topographic map. Working from other topographic maps and satellite photos, she and her team have sculpted a model of the environs of Muir Woods from the peak of Mt. Tamalpais to the shore of Stinson Beach.

A bronze casting will be made for the visitor center at Muir Woods, and one done in concrete will be installed at Muir Beach. This model is so detailed that it even includes Mountain Play’s Greek-style Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre, and water poured on this model of Mt. Tam courses down the Redwood Creek Watershed to the Pacific, just as it would in reality. “I’m impressed by the model,” says LightHouse staffer Frank Welte, “It gives a clear tactile representation of how Mt. Tam, Muir Woods and Stinson Beach relate and how they are connected and traversed by trails and roads”. Both maps will be installed by the end of 2013.

For more information on how the LightHouse can help provide accessibility to a monument, museum or natural wonder, call Greg Kehret at 415-694-7349 or gkehret@old.lighthouse-sf.org. For more information about Muir Woods and accessibility call 415-561-4700 or email goga_accessibility@nps.gov.

Sculptor Bridget Keimel affixes braille labels to topographic map