Click the image to watch the replay.
Thriving Blind Academy REPLAY:
Succeed Without Sight During Summer Break!
Watch the replay of the Thriving Blind Academy event designed for parents eager to guide their blind child to thrive over the summer break. In this one-hour session, you'll hear from a veteran Teacher of the Visually Impaired and connect with our vibrant community of THRIVERS. This is a fantastic opportunity to empower your child to be a THRIVER this summer! CLICK THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE REPLAY.
To guide your child to Succeed Without Sight ALL YEAR LONG, join our community of THRIVERS at Thriving Blind Academy. HERE
The Impact of Parenting Children that are Blind/Low Vision without a THRIVER Mindset:
70% DROP OUT
of high school
85% DROP OUT
of college
90% Denied Literacy
only 10% of children that need Braille receive access to it
The Impact of Parenting Children that are Blind/Low Vision with a THRIVER Mindset:
In Kindergarten, the IEP team expected Michael to achieve at only 70% of the other students in the public school he attended. Michael's Mom used the THRIVER formula.
Impact:
• Michael graduated from a public high school with top honors, National Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa Society, Student Council executive (4 years) and was named Commencement Speaker
•Graduated Penn State University summa cum laude, BFA degrees in Telecommunications and Theater Sound Design, achieved top 0.5% of 10,000+ Penn State graduates, named Commencement Marshall
•Michael now works full time for Disney Live Entertainment in Orlando, Florida and is pursuing an MBA at Purdue University
In elementary school, Campbell Rutherford was not getting the level of services and access to education that she deserved. Her Mom had a THRIVER mindset and decided to homeschool Campbell.
Impact:
•Campbell took mostly Advanced Placement courses
•In addition, she had time to pursue hobbies like piano
•Campbell had a thriving social life
•She is currently thriving on campus at Harvard
•Campbell and her Mom, Liza, discussed their journey in the 2023 Succeed Without Sight Summit "Homeschool to Harvard" session. It was one of our most talked about (in a good way!) seesions ever!
With Thriving Blind Academy's THRIVER Formula Curriculum, we change the crisis statistics.
The Empowering Elements our Participants Learn:
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Tools: Access elements of literacy, independence and a thriving mindset.
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HandiCAPABLE: Guide children to be capable and thrive in all facets of life.
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Responsibility: Empower children to take responsibility for their own thriving.
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Inter/Independence: Foster a collaborative and self-reliant approach to thriving.
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Value: Know the value children that are blind bring to the world.
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Emotion: Guide children to develop resilience in emotional challenges.
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Risk Taking: Know the importance of children navigating risks for personal growth.
Meet Your Summer Success Guides!
Kristin Smedley
Co-Founder, Thriving Blind Academy
CEO, Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation
Kristin Smedley is a TEDx speaker and author of the best selling book Thriving Blind:Stories of Real People Succeeding Without Sight and NEW children's book, What I Can Be Is Up To Me. Kristin is Co-Founder of Thriving Blind Academy. She has two sons that are blind due to CRB1-LCA and a sighted daughter. All three of her children are thriving - and out of the house at college and the workforce!
Cori Andrews
Consultant, Thriving Blind Academy
Cori Andrews is a seasoned education professional who has dedicated 28 years to making a profound impact on the lives of visually impaired students. Serving as an Itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) in a public school district north of Houston, Cori has guided hundreds of students through the intricate stages of the K-12 education system. Her unique perspective from the educator's side offers unparalleled insights into the secrets of success and the common pitfalls to avoid. Cori will provide a wealth of practical knowledge, equipping parents and educators with the tools they need to navigate the educational journey of blind and low vision children with confidence and excellence.
