National Association of Blind Students
From the Desk of the President
June 8, 2010
Special Bulletin: NFB Convention Highlights
In just 26 days members of the National Federation of the Blind will gather in Dallas for the 61st NFB national convention. The convention promises to be a fun and enriching experience for first-time attendees and veteran members alike. Come to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, to learn about the latest in blindness programs and technology, and to be part of the process of changing what it means to be blind!
Attached please find the full schedule of convention activities (the convention agenda). In this bulletin I have included information about NABS activities and a summary of other convention events. Please consult the agenda for information about activities not listed here in the bulletin. Please also consult the first three pages of the agenda for information about the layout of our convention hotel, the Hilton Anatole, and dining options within the hotel. The Hilton Anatole is located at 2201 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75207 Hotel phone: 214-748-1200
If you have won an NFB scholarship or other convention award, you may be required or invited to attend events not listed here; you will be notified individually about these additional events.
At this time the convention hotel rooms are all reserved. If you still need a room, contact your affiliate president to find out if anyone going from your state has a space in their room. If not, then contact me at Nabs.president@gmail.com
If you are flying to Dallas, taxi and SuperShuttle service are available to take you to the Hilton Anatole. Average SuperShuttle fares run at about $18; average taxi fares run at about $40 from the Dallas/Fort Worth airport and about $20 from the Dallas/Love Field airport. You can reserve a SuperShuttle trip in advance by going to www.supershuttle.com or, if you are traveling in a group, catch a taxi outside the main terminal.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Dallas!
Schedule of Highlighted Convention Activities
Saturday July 3, 2010
Saturday features several technology seminars, including a session about improvements in Blackboard accessibility. Consult the agenda for details and room locations. There will also be special sessions for middle and high school students on Saturday afternoon which NABS will be conducting where teens can discuss issues and concerns about preparing for high school and college. Exact times for these and other teen sessions are listed in the agenda.
Finally, there will be goalball (sponsored by the Sports and Recreation Division) on Saturday afternoon and an all-day employment seminar on Saturday.
Saturday evening from 8:00 to midnight, NABS will be hosting a Student Hospitality Night in the Affiliate Action Suite, Room 2372. Drop in for snacks, games, and the chance to meet and mingle with other blind high school, college, graduate and nontraditional students. Feel free to drop in and out while also enjoying salsa dancing, karaoke, or the Rookie Roundup, a gathering for first-time convention attendees.
Sunday July 4, 2010
Sunday both the exhibit hall and the NFB Independence Market and Showroom of Innovation will open. Come to the Exhibit Hall to browse information and products from leading assistive technology vendors and to learn about our NFB training centers. Come to the Independence Market to buy canes, watches, and other blindness products, to pick up NFB literature, and to explore new innovations such as the Blind Driver Challenge. Both the exhibit hall and the Independence Market will be open on Sunday and Monday all day and on Tuesday and Wednesday during the lunch break. NABS will have a table in the exhibit hall where we will be selling water bottles and passing out student information packets. Come see us!
Sunday is also a good time to pick up your registration materials if you pre-registered, or to purchase them if you didn't. The registration desk will also be open on Monday and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings before the general session.
Check the agenda for programs on Sunday including the meeting of the Resolutions Committee and the Mock Trial, where the National Association of Blind Lawyers will provide a comical reenactment of a serious legal case involving discrimination against the blind. There will also be a writing workshop for youth ages 11 to 19. On Sunday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. NABS will have its annual business meeting. Come early to register with us, or register online now by going to www.nabslink.org
Annual NABS dues, which you will need to pay in order to vote in the elections, are $5. At our meeting we will hear about exciting new developments with the Blackboard learning platform and other news, and we will hear from NFB President Maurer and from a few of our student members about their experiences being in the NFB. We will also be electing two of our board members. Join our business meeting to learn the latest about issues affecting us as blind students, and become a part of our organization.
Monday July 5, 2010
On Monday morning we will have the national NFB Board of Directors meeting, an open meeting where a variety of announcements about the convention and other general NFB matters will be given. On Monday afternoon and evening, a variety of NFB divisions will hold their annual meetings. Many NFB divisions are organized by shared professional interests, such as the National Association of Blind Lawyers, the National Association of Blind Educators, the Science and Engineering Division, and the Human Services Division. Check the agenda to find the division meeting(s) you want to attend. This is a great opportunity to meet blind people working in your field of study and to learn about the latest developments in techniques that can be useful to you in your career.
Finally, on Monday evening, check out the teen talk sessions (separate Q&A sessions for boys and girls), the indoor rowing workshop and the annual play performed by students at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. All proceeds from the play support the teen summer program at the LCB!
Tuesday July 6, 2010
Tuesday is the first of three days of general sessions. A highlight of the Tuesday session is the presidential report, when Dr. Maurer updates us on what the NFB has been doing over the past year and what work is still ahead of us. Check the agenda for a detailed description of the General Session program for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
On Tuesday evening, the NFB of Texas will be hosting a Texas-style barbeque and live music in Anatole Park, just outside the hotel. Barbeque tickets can be purchased for $45 during registration. There will also be more teen activities and an open house for the Colorado Center for the Blind.
Wednesday July 7, 2010
On Wednesday we have more general sessions in the morning and afternoon. On Wednesday night NABS will be holding our annual Monte Carlo Night fund-raiser. Pay $10 to purchase chips and play casino-style card games; whoever has the most chips at the end of the night will win a cash prize. The Performing Arts Division is also hosting their annual Showcase of Talent on Wednesday night, and the exhibit hall will be open for the last time.
Thursday July 8, 2010
On Thursday we will have one final day of general sessions, followed by the banquet in the evening. If you didn’t pre-register for the convention, you can purchase your banquet ticket for $45 during registration. I personally find the banquet and especially Dr. Maurer’s presidential address to be one of the most fun and inspiring parts of the convention. It reminds us of where we the blind of this country have come from, where we are going and that we are all united in the business of changing what it means to be blind.
President, National Association of Blind StudentsPhone: 602-502-2255
Email: nabs.president@gmail.com