Blind Service Association Youth Connection

Parent's Support Group

Blind Service Association will be hosting a Parent's Support Group on Wednesday, January 26th at 6 PM CST via Zoom. This support group allows parents of blind and visually impaired children in the Chicagoland area to connect, support, and share resources with one another.

If you are interested in joining our Parent's Support Group. Please contact Dustin Cather at [email protected] for details on how to join.

It is that time of year again! Blind Service Association Scholarship Applications are up and running. Like last year, applicants will have the option to submit their materials in the mail or electronically. All legally blind students living in Chicago and the surrounding counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will) are invited to apply for scholarships up to $3,000. The deadline to submit your application is April 1, 2022.


If you have any questions, or would like an application. Please reach out to Dustin Cather at [email protected]

Grab a warm mug of hot chocolate and cozy up next to the fire. Please take the time to enjoy a reading of the holiday classic " The Night Before Christmas" as performed by the Chicago Singers Collective. This performance will fill one up with the holiday spirit and put a smile on your face. BSA would like to thank the Chicago Singers Collective for recording this for the students of our youth programs.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

"The Night Before Christmas" as performed by the Chicago Singers Collective. by Blind Service Association Get in the holiday spirit with the classic holiday story "The Night Before Christmas" as performed by the Chicago Singers Collective. The Chicago Singers Collective recorded this story for the students of BSA's youth programming. Grab your favorite mug of eggnog and sit by the warm fire with this cl...

BSA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
BSA has been providing scholarships to students who are blind or have low vision for over 30 years. Contributing to the success of these recipients is one of our proudest achievements. Scholarships can range from $500 to $3000 and are awarded to eligible individuals pursuing advanced education. If you are enrolled/accepted in an accredited degree program for Fall 2022 and would like to apply, please submit an application by April 1, 2022:

Online form: https://forms.gle/GovC4A9qU7wnJLVV9
PDF form:http://blindserviceassociation.org/pdf/2022_BSA_Scholarship_Application.pdf

Image description: photo of the 2018 scholarship recipients at the BSA Annual Meeting

Parent's Support Group
Blind Service Association will be hosting a Parent's Support Group on Wednesday, September 29th at 6 PM CST via Zoom. This support group allows parents of blind and visually impaired children in the Chicagoland area to connect, support, and share resources with one another.
If you are interested in joining our Parent's Support Group. Please contact Dustin Cather at [email protected] for details on how to join.

Parent's Support Group
Blind Service Association will be hosting a Parent's Support Group on Thursday, August 25th at 6 PM CST via Zoom. This support group allows parents of blind and visually impaired children in the Chicagoland area to connect, support, and share resources with one another.

If you are interested in joining our Parent's Support Group. Please contact Dustin Cather at [email protected] for details on how to join.

A new children’s storybook called
The Light of the Moon and Big Brothers
Written by Stella M. De Genova and illustrated by John Dydo

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (in paperback and e-book)

Book Summary:
Stellina was a little girl with a vision disability called retinitis pigmentosa (RP). That didn’t stop her and her big brother, Alberto, from having all of the fun you could possibly imagine. They did all sorts of things together. With a story her big brother told her, Stellina would be able to move through life with certainty and never feel like she was in the dark.

About the author:
Stella M. De Genova has lived with retinitis pigmentosa since childhood. She is an artist, a wife and mom, and now, a writer. She hosted a blog for visually impaired writers and poets called Vision through Words (www.visionthroughwords.com). She also introduced and facilitated writing and art workshops at Second Sense, the blind service organization in Chicago where she volunteered. Her artwork continues to be exhibited in the Chicagoland area. Stella believes that creativity is a healing tool that we all possess. Her art website is www.artbystelladg.com

Contact:
Stella M. De Genova
6100 W. 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60638
773-504-1346
[email protected]
www.artbystelladg.com

Parent's Support Group

Blind Service Association will be hosting a Parent's Support Group on Thursday, July 29th at 6 PM CST via Zoom. This support group allows parents of blind and visually impaired children in the Chicagoland area to connect, support, and share resources with one another.

If you are interested in joining our Parent's Support Group. Please contact Dustin Cather at [email protected] for details on how to join.

Encourage kids to read this the summer by participating in Read to the Top! Blind and visually impaired students K-12 may enter our grand prize drawing by submitting the title of each audio, braille, or large print book read. The more books read, the greater chance to win one of the prizes! To participate, contact Youth Program Coordinator Dustin Cather at [email protected]
Image Description: Flyer for Read to the Top! with BSA logo and an image of a child reading a book in braille. Please see alt text for full text of flyer.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky spoke with Pathways participants via Zoom today about her role in Congress, advocacy, and in improving the lives of the blind and low vision community. Students had the opportunity ask questions of the congresswoman, and she was delighted to provide answers and spend the time with them.

Image description: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky speaks to students via zoom on a laptop.

Blind Service Association's Pathways Summer Program will be VIRTUAL this summer!

After careful consideration to ensure the safety of students, staff, and family members we have decided to host our Pathways summer youth program virtually this summer. Building on our success of last year's virtual Pathways program, students ages 10 - high school who are blind or visually impaired will have the opportunity to gain independent living skills, participate in fun arts and crafts, learn from diverse guest speakers, and connect with other blind and visually impaired students.

Pathways takes place Monday through Friday, 10AM-2PM, beginning June 28th & ending August 6th. Pathways is FREE this summer for all applicants. Applications due June 18th! Please contact Dustin Cather at [email protected] or by phone at 312-236-0808 for application materials or more info

Parent's Support Group

Blind Service Association will be hosting a Parent's Support Group on Wednesday, May 26th at 6 PM CST via Zoom. This support group allows parents of blind and visually impaired children in the Chicagoland area to connect, support, and share resources with one another.

During this meeting, we will be discussing our upcoming Pathways summer youth program that will be happening virtually this summer.

If you are interested in joining our Parent's Support Group. Please contact Dustin Cather at [email protected] for details on how to join.