MUSKOGEE, Okla. – “Proper cane skills and travel techniques are keys to independence for people who are blind,” Oklahoma School for the Blind Superintendent Rita Echelle mentioned, explaining why OSB hosted the tenth Oklahoma Regional Cane Quest competitors in Muskogee.
Ada resident Kolten Pennington, an OSB sophomore, gained a bronze medal at Cane Quest. He earned factors and prizes in competitors with 36 different cane customers from throughout the state.
Pennington’s award within the Trailblazers class included opponents in grades 10 by means of 12.
Contestants within the Scouts class competed on the OSB campus in Muskogee. They had been judged on quite a lot of human information expertise, physique and spatial consciousness talents, and protected negotiation of stairs. Scouts earned cash for expertly carried out expertise. They used the cash to buy prizes.
Competitors within the Explorers and Trailblazers classes for older college students competed in busy downtown Muskogee. They crossed streets and alleys and demonstrated lengthy cane strategies whereas following recorded instructions. They had the chance to earn gold, silver and bronze medals.
Certified orientation and mobility specialists and academics of the visually impaired scored all of the contestants.
Cane Quest is a nationwide program of the Braille Institute of America, based mostly in Los Angeles, California.
“Cane Quest competitors worked hard and demonstrated competitiveness and skills,” Faye Miller, OSB licensed orientation and mobility teacher and Cane Quest regional organizer, mentioned. “Of course, they especially loved winning prizes and medals.”
“Proper cane use is important because Oklahoma law requires drivers to completely stop their vehicles 15 feet away from pedestrians who are visually impaired and identified by their use of white canes with red tips or dog guides,” Echelle mentioned. “People who violate this law are guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to three months or $100 fine or both.”
Cane Quest sponsors included Braille Institute of America, Bud Holder memorial donations, Frank Dirksen, Lawton Council of the Blind, Liberty Braille, Muskogee County Health Department, NanoPac, Oklahoma Chapter of Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blind and Visually Impaired, Oklahoma Council of the Blind, Oklahoma State University – High Obesity Program, Sapulpa Lions Club, Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Tulsa Downtown Lions Club.
OSB and Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired are divisions of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.
OSB’s employees serve residential and day college students in pre-school by means of Twelfth-grade, providing instructional instruction that meets all state training necessities. Students additionally obtain specialised instruction in Braille, orientation and mobility, expertise and different areas. They attend lessons Monday by means of Thursday freed from cost and are transported residence for holidays, summer season breaks and three-day weekends through the common faculty yr. OSB employees additionally present help to college students with visible disabilities who attend different Oklahoma public faculties, their households and educators.
For extra information, cellphone OSB toll free at 877-229-7136 or go to http://osb.k12.ok.us/.
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