You are viewing this document in text format. If you would like to adjust the margins or font to make it more legible or easier to print, we recommend that you save the document to your hard-drive. To save the document, choose "File," "Save As...," then select a directory on your computer. THE LANTERN FALL 2003 VOLUME LXXIII, NUMBER 1 CAPTION: In This Issue - The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center, Graduation 2003 and Space Camp COVER PHOTO: Jaredd Mooney, Rachel Kobierecki and Kaitlyn Gallagher at the opening of The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center. CAPTION: Please join us and learn about Perkins exciting new Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: This is my second Lantern Message, and as I approach my first year anniversary at Perkins, every day I grow in appreciation of the people here. I marvel at the students, elders, staff, volunteers, trustees, donors and other supporters whose talent, dedication and commitment to excellence define Perkins' mission. So much has happened. In June, we graduated another class of bright, hard-working students who are on to further education, work or other life activities. It was heartening to watch their parents' faces glow in the light as their children marched in the Dwight Hall ceremonies. In September, we welcomed many new and returning day and residential students to campus and community members to outreach programs. In early October we opened the exquisite Pappas Horticulture Center. As detailed in this Lantern, we hosted a fabulous Gala Dinner and an opening for the students and staff. Students have already enjoyed their classes in this new environment that houses plants and increased educational and vocational opportunities. Perkins also continues our important international work. For example, we welcomed visitors from 13 foreign countries and a new class of the mid-career Educational Leadership Program participants from 7 nations. Our staff continues to play leadership roles in several national and international organizations important for our field. One of these, the Deafblind International Conference, is featured in this Lantern, but our staff is involved in many other groups as well. Thank you for your continued support and friendship. It means so much. You enable us to continue offering needed services and to explore other unmet needs. Please add to your support by filling the enclosed envelope with a check. In addition, consider passing The Lantern on to a friend who might want to learn more about the work of Perkins School for the Blind. Sincerely, Steven M. Rothstein, President CONTENTS: THE THOMAS & BESSIE PAPPAS HORTICULTURE CENTER GRAND OPENING GRADUATION 2003 - Making dreams come true BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIPS - Reaching internationally among service providers to people who are deafblind REFLECTIONS - Perkins people and happenings on and off campus DEVELOPMENT - In celebration of The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center THE THOMAS & BESSIE PAPPAS HORTICULTURE CENTER OPENING CELEBRATION - October 9, 2003: The beautiful new Pappas Horticulture Center, complete with pineapple plants, fountains, classrooms and a huge orange-flowered trumpet plant, brimmed with song and cheer during its grand opening. The Lower School Chorus crooned "I'm Gonna Reach," teen-age Music Makers sang "I Will Give You the Key," and a young woman read her poem about the flowers of spring to the hundreds of students, parents, staff and friends celebrating the opening of the new center. Perkins President, Steven Rothstein, told the crowd that The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center, constructed of new bricks manufactured at the very company that produced the bricks for the Perkins 1910 buildings, symbolizes the growth and opportunities of Perkins. Horticulture, with academic, therapeutic and vocational benefits, will now be available to Perkins programs, from infants to elders. QUOTE: "People often express surprise that I can enjoy nature when I cannot see its beauty or hear its harmonies. But really it is they who are blind. For they have no idea how fair the flower is to the touch, nor do they appreciate its fragrance, which is the soul of the flower." - Helen Keller QUOTE: "Growth will occur...with opportunities for our students and elders...as the pineapple, guava, lemongrass, geraniums and all of the other beautiful plants grow and bloom...internationally when the experiences here will be replicated in countries across the globe. Growth is...having a state of the art building...learning from our heritage...only possible with the incredible support and unwavering contributions from so many people." -Steven Rothstein, President, Perkins School for the Blind Horticulture at Perkins - The Thomas and Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center is a 5,000 square foot building housing a resource library; three classrooms for planting, crafts production, and academic and science studies; a geothermal energy system; a large glass greenhouse; interactive water fountains; and a garden shop. Outside are sensory and production gardens; a courtyard; and individual gardening plots. Horticulture at Perkins goes back to our move to the Watertown campus in 1910 when Perkins students tended orchards and gardens that provided fruits and vegetables to the school's dining rooms. Today, horticulture is an important part of prevocational training and off-campus vocational placements for many Perkins students working at a local greenhouse. The contemporary program of Perkins horticulture therapy began as a part-time pilot program in 1979 and quickly became a national model. Horticulture is a recreational and vocational activity for people of all ages, abilities and needs. Plants invite participation because they respond to care, they grow and they change. Horticulture therapy is a medium that blends those characteristics with the clinical benefit of improving social, psychological and physical well-being. Benefits are also academic and cognitive. Horticulture therapy has proven to be an invaluable asset to many students at Perkins by providing leisure activities, sensory exploration, and work experiences. PHOTO CAPTION: Horticulture at Perkins benefits students of all ages from many Perkins programs: Preschool; Lower School; the Deafblind Program; Secondary Program and Outreach Services - for elders and mainstreamed students. GRADUATION 2003: Thirteen students marched with canes, arm-in-arm, or in wheelchairs through Perkins stately Dwight Hall last spring as "Pomp & Circumstance" played on the organ. The crowd of family, teachers and friends clapped, shook their hands in the air for sign-language applause, hooted and hollered for Perkins graduating class of 2003. In a rousing speech, The Reverend Dr. Ray Hammond, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston, trustee of many important community foundations and recipient of three honorary doctorates, urged the graduates to continue believing in themselves. Perkins class of 2003, who have already done so much, are poised to take The Rev. Dr. Hammond's words to heart. In their next steps to college, employment or supported work situations, Perkins graduates continue to embody potential and belief that everyone can make their dreams come true. 2003 GRADUATES: Yegue Badigue - N'Djamena, Chad Sarah Dingelhoff - Shirley, MA Paul D'Angelo III - Weymouth, MA Shanna Shirley Dooling - Weymouth, MA Justin Adam Eskot - Newton, MA Jessica Flores - Cambridge, MA Scott Jonathan Grindle - Blue Hill, ME Jessica Kremidas - Dunbarton, NH Erin Mary McCormack - Harpswell, ME Andrea Gayle Monusko - Caledonia, MI Jaredd Luis Mooney - Fall River, MA William O'Donnell - Holtsville, NY Heidi Virginia Ward - Hanson, MA BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIPS: Fulbright Scholar - When Jayanthi Narayan learned she had earned a Fulbright Scholarship to study at Boston College, she was thrilled that she would be close to Perkins. Her area of research is the cognitive functioning of children who are deafblind. She had met Hilton/Perkins staff when working in India with the Voice and Vision Group taskforce, and she hoped to augment her work at Boston College with research at Perkins with Hilton/Perkins staff who had written some of the books she used in India. Returning to her job at the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped in India, she will help the development of a new national institute for people who have multiple disabilities. Thanks to her Fulbright Scholarship, her time at Boston College and at Perkins, Jayanthi will be making a national impact on the education of deafblind children in India. QUOTE: "People with vision and hearing have an obligation to help those who do not have those senses. It is our way of expressing gratitude for the luxury of being able to see and hear." - Jayanthi Narayan Welcome International Professionals! - Perkins Educational Leadership Program (ELP) offers international educators of children who are blind or deafblind a year of study and classroom experience at Perkins. At the end of the year, ELP participants bring their new knowledge back to their home countries. Many past ELP's have become professional leaders in their areas of the world. This year, Perkins is proud to host seven professionals. Welcome to the some of the newest members of our Perkins family. PHOTO CAPTION: ELP CLASS OF 2003-2004 - Back row left to right: Ushma Das, India; Wang Li, China; Erika Hrosarova, Slovakia; Cafer Barkus, Supervisor; Nina Jurca, Romania; Valeria Franco, Argentina. Kneeling in front left to right: Marta Kamenicka, Slovakia; Merlyn Apollis, South Africa. REFLECTIONS - Perkins People and Happenings On and Off Campus: Mother Teresa and a Remarkable Journey - Amrita Plante has come a long way in her eight years - from Calcutta to Perkins Deafblind Program to a ceremony in the Vatican City. After her mother died in childbirth, Amrita's father brought the tiny, premature infant to the first orphanage that Mother Teresa founded in Calcutta. There, an American volunteer, Serine Plante was immediately drawn to the baby whom many workers avoided. Serine decided when she left for home in the U.S. that she couldn't leave the little girl behind and began a two-year adoption process. Now a student in Perkins Deafblind Program and the subject of a recent CBS News report, Amrita is thriving, learning how to communicate, smiling and laughing. Mother and daughter recently took another trip, this time to Vatican City to participate in the beatification process of Mother Teresa, whose work spanned the globe the same way that Amrita herself has. Anne Sullivan Medal - The Anne Sullivan Medal, established in 1966 by Perkins School for the Blind, recognizes "exemplary contribution, efforts and achievement on behalf of individuals who are deafblind." It has been awarded only 83 times including to our former director, Kevin J. Lessard, for his leadership. The following people are the most recent honorees at the XIII World Conference of Deafblind International in Toronto: Sam Boshielo, South Africa; Cherry Bulmer, Canada; Galina Konstantinova Epifanova, Russia; Joseph McNulty, United States; and Yoland Ramos, Argentina. Thank You Volunteers! - Volunteers touch every Perkins program and service, from caring for babies while parents meet with educators, to rewinding the 40,000 recorded books returned every month to Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library, to helping high school students navigate their way in grocery stores. Every year, Mike Cataruzolo, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, and Perkins hosts an appreciation dinner for over 200 volunteers vital to helping us deliver top-quality services. One man was so moved by the dedication, professionalism, and importance of Perkins volunteers that he gave a substantial donation to strengthen the volunteer program. Perkins thanks this donor and every volunteer who donates his or her time, expertise and love to the Perkins family. Reaching for the Stars - Seven students, ages 10-19, traveled to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and U.S. Space Camp in Alabama for a week of simulated space exploration. The fleet of students, who are blind or visually impaired, participated in Perkins Outreach Services for public school students. For the 10th year, Perkins has brought kids to Space Camp for astronaut training complete with high-tech simulated voyages and the Microgravity Training Chair to simulate walking on the moon. Just because you can't see the stars doesn't mean you can't reach for them. Employee Service Awards - Staff are the backbone of the Perkins family. The 2003 Service Awards honored 58 staff who have worked 10,15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 or 45 years in all programs from Preschool to the Braille & Talking Book Library. PHOTO CAPTION: Special thanks go to Barbara Birge (middle left), Lillian Peterson (far left), and Adele Trytko, (right) all who completed 45 years of service and are still going strong. Team with A Vision - Perkins was proud to be among the agencies sponsoring the second annual Team with a Vision 5K Run & Walk. One beautiful, sunny September Saturday, over 600 runners, joggers, walkers and friends, including Lisa Hughes, Anchor for WBZ Channel 4, came together to put their feet to the pavement to make a difference. The run raised $80,000, which was distributed among the sponsoring agencies. Thank you to all who ran or walked the gentle scenic course along the Charles River and helped strengthen services to so many individuals. Team with A Vision Partner Agencies include - Massachusetts Association for the Blind, Carroll Center for the Blind, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Greater Boston Aid to the Blind, National Braille Press, New England Eye Institute, Perkins School for the Blind and Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. The Livest Live Music in Town - The Triple Helix Piano Trio, an internationally acclaimed piano trio in residence this year at Wellesley College, filled Perkins with soaring music at this year's Rothstein Memorial Concert. Recognized as among the best piano trios today, Triple Helix was acclaimed by the Boston Globe for making "the livest live music in town," and consists of Lois Shapiro, piano; Bayla Keyes, violin; and Ronda Rider, cello. The concert was in memory of Sheldon Rothstein, an executive at Polaroid, benefactor of Perkins and classical music lover. Students, staff and friends loved the night of music. CAPTION: Check the calendar on www.Perkins.org for special events at Perkins throughout the year. Deafblind International Conference - In August, the Hilton/Perkins Program and Perkins staff had a substantial presence at the XIII World Conference of Deafblind International in Toronto, Canada. 560 professionals attended from 48 countries. More than half of the 70 people there from developing countries were supported to attend by Perkins; most of them have received their training at Perkins or from our staff and work in our affiliated projects internationally. The outgoing President of the group is Michael Collins, the Director of the Hilton/Perkins Program. Staff of the Hilton/Perkins Program, Perkins Deafblind Program, and teachers from our affiliated projects around the world delivered numerous plenary presentations and conducted workshops and poster sessions throughout the week. This conference, which formerly had very few participants from the developing world, is now indeed a global forum on deafblindness. Perkins is honored to continue supporting these efforts. Gala for The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center - October 8, 2003 was a night of true celebration: Three years ago, The Thomas Anthony Pappas Foundation and The Bessie Pappas Foundation made a remarkable gift to Perkins that launched a campaign to build a stunning new horticulture center. The $850,000 launched a $2 million campaign for the state-of-the-art Pappas Horticulture Center, $1.9 million of which has been raised from over 6,000 individuals, foundations and businesses. Perkins is grateful to the Pappas family for a relationship which first began in 1980 when the Pappas family foundations funded our original greenhouse that quickly became a national model for horticulture therapy. October 8, 2003 was a night of true celebration. The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center sparkled with lights and was filled with 250 people meeting new friends, learning about Perkins, and appreciating the generosity of the Pappas family and the many other donors to the Center. A formal dinner in the Howe Building followed the cocktail reception among the greenery and fountains of The Pappas Center. The Gala raised over $120,000 toward the final stage of the capital campaign. Perkins students, staff and the greater horticulture community are grateful to the Pappas family and all the wonderful donors for their support, leadership and commitment to make a difference in the lives of Perkins' students. CAPTION: It is still possible to order an inscribed brick for The Thomas & Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center for $250. Almost 150 bricks have been named on a walkway to the entrance. To order, please contact: Greenhouse Bricks, Perkins School for the Blind, 175 N. Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02472, Development@Perkins.org. PHOTO CAPTIONS: 1. C. Richard Carlson and Pappas family members, John Pappas, Mrs. Helen Pappas, Betsy Demirjian, and Sophia Sacher. 2. J. Elisabeth Rice and Janet James. 3. Former Massachusetts Governor, Michael Dukakis, Ethel Sadowsky, and Norman Sadowsky. 4. Deborah Carlson, Fred Clifford, Peter Collins, Barbara Clifford, and Jane Collins. 5. C. Richard Carlson, Chairman of Perkins Board of Trustees auctions off Red Sox tickets at the gala. MEMORIAL & HONORARY GIFTS: Honor a friend or family member through the Tribute Program at Perkins. Gifts made "in memory" commemorate the life of a loved one who has passed away, while a gift made "in honor" celebrates a special occasion such as a birthday, graduation, anniversary, or other important event. A moving testimonial to a friend or loved one, tribute gifts support the important programs at Perkins and make a difference in the lives of students who are blind, deafblind or have multiple disabilities. After we receive your tribute, we send a letter to the bereaved family or the person being honored to inform them of your kindness. We also send you a note to thank you for your generosity. The amount of your gift is always kept confidential. All gifts are tax-deductible. We are often asked what amount should be sent for a memorial or in honor gift. A good rule of thumb is to send what you would spend on flowers. Many gifts range from $50 to $500 or more. But, the only "right" amount is the one your heart tells you to send. To make a tribute gift, please send your check to: Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02472 Attn: Development Office, Tribute Program. Or, call (617) 972-7328 to make a donation with your MasterCard or VISA. Please be sure to include the full name and address of the person to whom you wish us to acknowledge your gift. BEQUESTS: The gifts and bequests of Perkins friends make it possible for the School to sustain the excellent quality of service that has become the Perkins hallmark over the past 174 years. While a few foundations and government grants enable Perkins to initiate new programs, the consistent support of donors makes possible our daily academic, residential and home-based programs. You can make a bequest to Perkins School for the Blind by creating a new will, adding a codicil to your current will, designating Perkins as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, or including Perkins in your revocable trust or other estate plan. The following language may be used for an outright gift by will. Specific dollar amount for unrestricted use: I give (________________) dollars to the Perkins School for the Blind, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Percentage amount for unrestricted use: I give (__________) percent of the residue of my estate to the Perkins School for the Blind, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These examples may be tailored to best suit your interests. For more information please contact the Treasurer of the Corporation as follows: Mr. Charles C. J. Platt, Treasurer Planned Giving Office Perkins School for the Blind 175 North Beacon Street Watertown, Massachusetts 02472 (617) 972-7284 PHOTO CAPTION: Andrea Monusko and Shanna Dooling from Perkins Deafblind Program, begin their graduation march. Photo credits: John Kennard, cover, 3 (top 2, bottom), 4-5, 6 (bottom), 8-9, 17, 8-19; Deborah Krause, 7 (top, inset); Terry Hiller, 10 (left), 11, 14 (top); Mark Ostow, 2. Perkins School for the Blind 175 North Beacon Street Watertown, MA 02472 Tel: 617.924.3434 Fax: 617.926.2027 www.Perkins.org Editor: Robert Guthrie The Lantern Perkins School for the Blind was incorporated March 2, 1829. The school is an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the National Association of Independent Schools. It is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Education and Mental Retardation and by the Commonwealth's Office of Child Care Services. Perkins School for the Blind admits students of any race, color, creed, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship, and athletic and other school-administered programs.