EDMONDS — The end of the regular school year at one Edmonds school doesn’t necessarily mean interrupting the chances of children who are partially or completely blind to socialize and learn independence.
For the 12th year, the Louis Braille School is offering its two-week summer program for current and new students in grades kindergarten through 12. This year’s theme is “Animals, the Environment and You.”
This year’s program is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, July 12-July 23, at the Louis Braille School, 10130 Edmonds Way in Edmonds.
Tuition for the two-week course is $250 and financial assistance is available. Potential students aren’t denied enrollment if they can’t afford tuition.
School staff and educators with Lynnwood-based PAWS are partnering for the first time to teach students appreciation and understanding of domestic and wild animals and their environments through hands-on workshops.
There are many ways to appreciate and learn about animals and wildlife without relying solely on eyesight, said Sandy Warner, PAWS humane education manager.
Learning can come in the form of feeling animal artifacts, smelling sweet berries and crisp, cut grass and listening to the types of bird calls, Warner said.
“So many people take for granted all of the ways you can learn without seeing,” she said.
During the workshops, students will help animals by making toys for cats awaiting adoption and enrichment toys and feeders for wild animals re-learning how to find food in the wild.
Warner said the workshops are designed to not only teach but to empower students by showing them what they are capable of accomplishing.
“We want to focus on their abilities and what they can do,” she said.
The first day of the program will kick off with a visit from puppies in training with Guide Dogs for the Blind and their trainers. Students will pet and brush the puppies and learn how to give simple commands and walk them.
The summer program is sometimes a gateway for students entering the private school. Students learn traditional subjects at the school, including math and English; in addition, they learn orientation and mobility, social proficiency and everyday tasks that promote independence.
Edmonds resident Jennifer Wheeler’s family uprooted from Yakima two years ago so their son Brett, 10, could attend the school after attending the summer program in 2007.
Wheeler said it took two weeks at the camp for her family to realize the school was what her son needed to thrive.
“They don’t focus on the kids’ disabilities,” she said. “They focus on their abilities.”
Wheeler said the camp appealed to Brett’s love of music by singing and playing on drums made from oatmeal containers. Being around the puppies in training has also helped Brett feel more comfortable around dogs, she added.
The lessons are tailored to meet her son’s academic needs, Wheeler said. “They bring it down to each kid’s unique level.”
The summer program focuses on academics while giving the students a chance to socialize and have fun, said Carolyn Meyer, Louis Braille School director.
The curriculum challenges students without setting them up to fail, Meyer said. “It’s accessible regardless of their challenges,” she said. “They’re working in a group while working on personal challenges.”
Lessons in math, writing, reading and sciences will be peppered with the environmental theme. Daily living skills will also be included, such as tying shoes, zipping a jacket or putting toothpaste on a toothbrush. Learning songs and playing relay games will round out the program.
“The daily living skills are the things that will help lead to their independence,” Meyer said.
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