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Four Teens. One Dynamic Year. How do you see yourself when you can’t see at all? Keep Your Ear on the Ball offers an up-close look at four teens who have lost their sight. Follow their struggles to live independently, fit-in, and prepare for their futures. |
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Chas Chas bristles for greater independence. After turning 18, he became the school's first student to move off-campus, leaving the school's protected dorms to share an apartment with another blind teen. Halfway through his senior year, Chas' plans to graduate in May fall apart. After dropping out of school in February, his haphazard attempts to enroll in a GED program are stalled while he struggles to get his electricity turned back on. After a trip home to Ft. Worth to tell his mother he has dropped out, Chas must reflect on his decisions as he charts a new path.
Denise Denise's classmates at her old school made fun of her cane and called her names. They would deliberately bump into her and blame her for being in the way. The shy 16-year-old responded to this torment by isolating herself and struggled with bouts of depression. Removed from the taunts of her old classmates, will Denise be able to come out of her shell?
Meagan Meagan has her hands full as she focuses on her future. Confident and capable, her teachers consider her one of the most impressive students they have seen in years. When May rolls around, Meagan's discipline and work ethic have paid off. The student council president has been named valedictorian and looks forward to living on her own and starting college in the fall.
Isaac When Isaac's retina detached, his grandparents could not afford emergency eye surgery. This year the freshman leaves his rural home in Paris, TX to adjust to a new city, a new school, and the emotional hurdles of life with a severe visual impairment.
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The School Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired TSBVI celebrated its 150th year in Austin in 2006. The school meets the special needs of students from across the state. In addition to housing and educating a diverse student body, TSBVI is a statewide resource for parents and educators. The school counts nationally recognized educators and experts in the field of education of the visually impaired among its faculty and administration. |
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Goalball A goalball weighs just under 3 lbs and is filled with bells. Two teams of three position themselves at opposite ends of an indoor court. In a motion similar to bowling, players attempt to roll the ball across their opponent's goal line to score points. Blind competitors track the ball's movements by listening for the jingling bells. To defend their goal, the sightless players dive and lunge, throwing their bodies into the path of the other team's shots. Spectators must maintain complete silence and can only react verbally when a goal has been scored. Goalball is the only competitive team sport designed specifically for the blind. In the words of Chas, the team captain, "It's not as easy as it looks." |
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