November 2003                                                        

The following is a story about the Skills Center written by recent graduate Jacob Lesner-Buxton. We didn't even know Jake was writing this story for the National Association of Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI) newsletter until he gave us a copy. Jake told us he wanted parents of other visually impaired young people to know that there is a great place where their children can go after high school to become independent. After a fantastic trip to Russia this summer with a disability rights youth group, Jake has now started college at Cal State Monterey. We are sure that we will all be hearing more from this talented and dedicated young man in the future.

"Eighteen and Out of the House"

by Jacob Lesner-Buxton
 

Growing up I always saw myself living independently. Dreams of owning and taking care of my own place filled my sleep. However, in those visions I always saw myself without disabilities. People with my disability were portrayed as staying with their parents or in a group living situation that was controlled by inept social workers. These two images were not appealing.

Still there was a chance that independent living wouldn't be a possibility because of my minimal experience in the skills I needed to maintain an apartment. I barely knew how to clean, didn't do laundry and could cook only in a microwave. By living with my parents I wasn't motivated. I couldn't move out successfully without having living skills.

My mom then suggested that instead of going to college right away, I take a year off and move into the Living Skills Center for the Visually Impaired about twenty miles away. At the time I was outraged at the idea because I wanted to graduate college with my age group. However, that anger of delaying my education subsided upon learning that half of my high school teachers were still finishing their college credits. Once that fear was axed I still felt uncomfortable about living in a "program."

On my first visit I discovered that the Living Skills Center was located in an apartment building. Students pay for food, power, rent and the phone in their own apartments. Individuals can decide what they want to learn and come and go as they please. With this information I started thinking of this experience as real life and not going to a center.

Still in my head I was confusing the word independence with isolation. In the months before moving out paranoia started hitting me. I felt that I couldn't ask for help at my new place. I was going to be the most independent person with a disability.

Yet behind my tough skin, I was scared of failing. I had earmarked a whole year for this program. What if something happened that messed it up? Nightmares of forgetting to pay rent and getting kicked out of the Center flooded my head. I didn't want people to dismiss me as a helpless person who couldn't manage on his own.

The first night my mantra, "I will not ask for help," got tested. I was having a hard time trying to open a container of pasta salad and was almost in tears over the situation. Just then one of my neighbors came by to check on me and I got up the courage to ask him to open the container. Although he was nice, I was horrified by my actions because I felt like I relied on him.

Luckily, over the next few days, I met the other students in the program and saw that they weren't perfect at being independent. Teachers were helping my neighbors with everything from using the ATM to cooking dinner. After seeing them I finally relaxed and let people help me. As long as I made an effort to do all I could by myself I saw no reason not to ask people for assistance.

Over the next few weeks my teachers taught me many skills. For example I was able to learn how to use the stove, make computer checks and clean the house. When someone showed me how to use the burners safely, suddenly I could cook pasta without fear. I now pay my rent without assistance because I learned how to print checks on my computer. My living skills teacher gave guidance on the best methods of cleaning the house. Learning to use these tools helped me to feel more comfortable about living alone.

After I got over all my worries I was able to experience the joy of living alone. I decide when I do chores, shop and cook. Plus, being around people my own age who had similar disabilities gave me a lot of social opportunities. I found that living independently forced me to overcome my shyness and connect with people. No longer are my parents around to provide social interaction, instead, I have to find it myself.

For the first time in my life I feel confident in myself and my future. Over the past six months I have gained a better understanding of what I can and cannot do. Chores, mistakes and the unplanned incidents are daily occurrences in my life. However, I get a rush of adrenaline from fixing a problem or completing a task. Each day I get satisfaction from knowing that with support I can live a life which is fulfilling and my own.

Peaches Galore!

A favorite field trip at the Living Skills Center is Peach-Picking Day. When the peaches are ready we choose a day, everyone packs a lunch and we head out to the orchards of Brentwood early in the morning before it gets too hot. The fruit hangs low enough on the trees to feel, even if you are totally blind. There is nothing more satisfying than sinking your teeth into a ripe, sweet peach straight from the tree! The next day students cook all morning for our traditional Peach PigOut. Peach ice cream, peach salsa, peach pie, peach smoothies, peach cobbler, peach "pizza" (delicious!) are all tasted with accompanying oohs! and aahs! It sounds like it's all just for fun, but trips like this one, in addition to trips to grocery stores and local farmers markets are all part of teaching the students to learn about and prepare a variety of fruits and vegetables for a healthy diet.

KIDPOWER

In order to lead a full life, visually impaired people need to live in an area where urban area, where "street smarts" need to be honed. We want our students to stay safe, act wisely, and believe in themselves. To accomplish this goal, we run a series of classes on indoor and outdoor safety. Then we call in our friends from another non-profit called Kidpower. The Kidpower instructors teach self defense in a way that is effective without scaring our students. Students learn how to carry themselves and how to strongly respond to attackers. In fact, as you can see in the accompanying picture, each student is actually attacked by a padded instructor and learns the skills to get themselves out of the situation. Many students have told us this is one of the most valuable curricula we provide at the Skills Center.

Staff News

Last spring we were thrilled to be able to hire recent Skills Center graduate Samir Shaibi as our new Evening Supervisor. In the late afternoon Samir goes around to each student apartment to make sure everything is going smoothly, especially with new students who may be living away from home for the first time. He also keeps our adaptive technology lab open in the evenings so students can check email, write papers for college, research jobs and housing and more. Samir, however, is the kind of person who gives his all to anything he does, and he has brought a whole raft of new activities to his evening shift. Some evenings students bring instruments and their voices and have a music jam session. Some evenings are spent watching a descriptive video movie. Sometimes students are invited to participate in "make your own pizza" or "make your own smoothie" night. Last week students played a Braille version of bingo, with donated hats and tshirts for prizes. Living independently is also about learning to make friends and create your own fun, and Samir is introducing students to a wide variety of great activities. THANK YOU SAMIR!

Tech Talk

Equipment Update

It's been a big year for the lab! With the addition of 3 new computers, we now have a total of 4 desktops and 1 laptop, all equipped with the latest access technology software. Best of all: they're all connected via wireless network. Networking will allow multiple students to be online at once. It will also make it possible for Ron Hideshima, our adaptive technology instructor, to hold group classes for students learning JAWS, MS Word and other common programs. Up to now, instruction has been exclusively one-on-one, which is essential for enabling students to get the basics down. However, with so many students wanting to learn so many of the same programs, Ron often finds himself repeating many lessons. The network will let Ron expand what he is able to teach and will allow the students to help each other learn new technology.

We also recently acquired the PAC Mate PDA. This hi-tech device from Freedom Scientific features Braille input and speech output and comes equipped with JAWS, as well as MS Word, Excel, Explorer and other standard Microsoft programs. Ron describes it as "a pocket PC with speech". Perhaps the main feature of the PAC Mate is the fact that it is portable. This means that students can use it to take notes in class, record traveling directions, or even connect to the Internet anywhere there is a phone line. The PAC Mate, which carries a hefty $2500 price tag, was purchased through the combination of a grant from the San Pablo Community Foundation and money raised from last year's holiday card sale and the Judi's Blind Date fundraiser.

We have also been fortunate to have several pieces of hardware loaned to us as "demo" units:

· The Dot View DV1, from KGS Corporation, is a graphical tactile display, which renders visual information (pictures, graphics, etc.) from a computer screen into tangible, raised shapes. Still in its early stages, this sort of technology promises to allow visually impaired computer users unprecedented access to highly visual environments, such as the Internet.
· The Focus 44, from Freedom Scientific, is a 44-cell refreshable Braille display. This device allows Braille readers to access text on a computer screen by having it translate the text into Braille. Metal pins in the Focus 44 pop up and down to form Braille letters and follow the text on the screen as the reader moves through it.

The Tech Lab would like to acknowledge the following :
The San Pablo Community Foundation
Scott Duncan
Judi’s Place
Freedom Scientific
KGS Corporation
Thank you for your support!

Letter from the Director

TO OUR MANY FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS:
The good news: In a year when many social service agencies have had their government contracts terminated, the Living Skills Center’s case service contract with the Department of Rehabilitation, which pays our operating costs, will not be cut. I have been told that our reputation and performance statistics are what made the difference.
The bad news: Even though we still have a contract, the amount of that contract has been at "level funding" for the third year in a row. That means we are getting the same amount of money we were getting three years ago, while Kaiser costs and workers compensation have skyrocketed.
The best news: So far, our fund-raising efforts are helping us hold the line on costs, and we are still able to underwrite our annual kayak and ski trips, and pay for some new equipment in the technology lab. Please read Chris's plea regarding eScrip; that money has been a huge help to us. Best of all, the kick-off campaign for the new Paula LeDuc Leadership Society has been extremely successful and no student will have to leave the Skills Center for lack of funds for at least a year. In this tough economic climate, we are humbly grateful that our number of supporters and the amount they are donating has actually INCREASED. I know I speak for the whole staff when I assure you that all of us will continue to provide the kind of service that has given the Living Skills Center the reputation for being the best little non-profit for the visually impaired in the United States! - Patricia Williams

Tactile Map Helps Students Navigate Shopping Center

As if she doesn't have enough to do, our friend Paula LeDuc took the time to create a beautiful tactile map of the newly developed El Cerrito Plaza Shopping Center. Because it is on the San Pablo Avenue corridor and easily accessible by bus, El Cerrito Plaza has always been a favorite shopping spot for our students. However, now that it has been renovated, visually impaired persons do not know what shops are in the center or how to access these places. Paula's map has raised buildings made of foam core, and various textures indicate walkways, planters, parking lots and streets. Buildings are labeled in Braille to identify various stores and restaurants. The map is also made from high contrast colors so that low vision students can see it more easily. By feeling the map and studying it with their mobility instructors, students have a better idea how to navigate the shopping center. Before she could even start to make this wonderful curriculum tool, Paula picked up a copy of the contractors blueprints and studied them to make sure everything would be constructed to scale. For textured supplies Paula combed craft stores, art stores, and lumberyards, and then spent untold hours putting the map together. For Paula, this time-consuming project was a labor of love. We are so grateful. THANK YOU PAULA!

  Update

Thank you to everyone who has registered to support the Living Skills Center through the eScrip program! With nearly 200 people registered and over $2500 raised in the last year, eScrip has proven to be a viable source of income. We are grateful for this supplement to our funding, particularly in light of the dismal state of the California budget. As we work to contain costs, we count our blessings for the direct support provided by our friends and families. However, after October 31st your purchases at Safeway will no longer be tracked until you re-register your Safeway card. To avoid a gap in donations, we are asking our eScrip subscribers to re-register by October 31st. Please note that if you miss the deadline you can still re-register at any time by following the directions below. Thank you!
                                                                                                - Chris Runde
                                                                                                  LSC Office Manager

Important! Keep helping the Skills Center!
While eScrip has been a resounding success, not just for the Living Skills Center, but for thousands of schools and youth programs nationwide, there is going to be a change in the way it will be managed. Safeway (Vons in Southern California), through the registration of its Club Cards, has quickly become by far the largest merchant participant in the eScrip program and, as such, currently shoulders a disproportionate amount of all donations made through it. This being the case, Safeway has decided to modify the way it works with eScrip in two important ways:

1. The percentage of purchases donated by Safeway has dropped from 2% to 1% for monthly totals under $300 per card. This means that if you normally spend $300 or less per month at Safeway, the Living Skills Center is only receiving half of what we did when we initially signed up with eScrip in July, 2002. While this is unfortunate, it only underscores our need to register more supporters, so please, help us get more people signed up! If any of your friends or family shop at Safeway or any of the merchants involved with eScrip, tell them that we need their help. They can visit the website (www.escrip.com), they can call the Living Skills Center (510-234-4984), or they can email Chris (chris@livingskillscenter.org) for more information. Remember, there is never any cost to the supporters!

2. For those of you currently signed up, Safeway is asking that you re-register your card annually in order determine who is genuinely committed to supporting programs through eScrip. You should have received a package in the mail recently from eScrip explaining this change and the re-registration process. For those of you who didn’t receive a package, or have misplaced it, please do one of the following:

- Call 1-800-801-4973 and renew via phone.

- Visit www.escrip.com and click the “Yes! Renew” icon. Look for
the big red check mark!

Thank you for choosing to support the Living Skills Center for another year!

JACOB LESNER-BUXTON

DESCRIPTIVE VIDEO LIBRARY
Student Jacob Lesner-Buxton's parents provided us with money to start a descriptive video library. Verbal descriptions of the action are overlaid onto standard movie soundtracks so that blind and visually impaired viewers know what is happening on the screen even when the actors are not speaking. The students had fun picking what movies they wanted to buy first. Titles like "Saving Private Ryan," "Speed," and "Harry Potter" now grace the shelves of a bookcase donated by Skills Center friend Kathleen Lewis. THANK YOU JUDITH AND BUCK!

WISH LIST

1. Samir is looking for handheld percussion instruments for music nights. If anyone can donate shakers, maracas, tambourines, small bongos, or the like, it would make music nights even more fun! (Chris says we need all the bongos we can get!)
2. We also could use a good treadmill machine for indoor exercise in the winter, so if you have one in your garage that you haven't used in years, donate it to the Skills Center!
3. Help us fill our descriptive video library shelves by donating $15-$25 for a new movie!

Try these two popular recipes from our famous “Peach Pigout”!

Peach Salsa

Makes 2 cups
Ingredients:
2 ripe peaches
2 T. lemon juice
¼ tsp. Salt
1 small red onion (1/4 cup finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 small jalapeno pepper

Peel, pit and finely chop the peaches. Put them into a small bowl. Add 2 T. lemon juice, ¼ tsp. Salt, ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, and about 2 T. chopped cilantro. Mince the garlic and add. Carefully seed and finely chop the jalapeno pepper and add about 1 tsp. to the mixture. Stir to blend.

Nancy’s Peach Pizza

2 fold out crusts
2 packages cream cheese
1 small can pineapple juice
1 cup sugar
2 cups mashed peaches
8 tablespoons cornstarch
2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced

Pat out crusts onto 2 pizza pans and bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until browned.
Mix together softened cream cheese, sugar and pineapple juice and spread over cooled crusts.
Add 8 tablespoons cornstarch to ¾ cup water and mix until blended.
Add cornstarch to mashed peaches and cook over low heat until thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Let cool and then spread ½ over cream cheese on each pizza.
Place sliced peaches on top.
Refrigerate until served.