Outreach: Services to Students

Whether it is a summer program that prepares high school students for their careers, a cooking class for elders, a student learning to use a low vision device or a conference for teachers, Perkins School for the Blind offers more than just its traditional academic program.

Perkins Outreach Services offer short courses that include educational, social and recreational activities, support, exposure, and training in key areas for students who are blind or visually impaired from elementary through high school.

In the collegial environment created during our programs, students gain insight, self-respect, social skills and friendships for life. Our goal is to allow children to have experiences just like their peers, where they are thought of as children first rather than blind first.

Outreach Services teen weekend.

We offer two types of courses:

Weekends/Vacation Programs

These short weekend and vacation programs are offered throughout the school year to students who are blind or visually impaired. Students take part in these day, weekend or week-long social, recreational, vocational and independent living activities. The programs are a huge hit with participants due both to the fun activities as well as the chance to share experiences with peers. This socialization is especially important for those who may be the only student with a visual impairment in their school.

Outreach Summer Programs

Perkins Outreach Services offers summer programs for children. All programs take place on the Perkins campus:

Elementary Summer Programs
Each program is a week-long event for elementary school-age children. The program focuses on socialization, basic daily living skills, community exploration and recreation. Activities also include physical education, outdoor adventures, games, cooking, crafts, music/drama, swimming, field trips, horseback riding and water sports. Two separate elementary weeks are offered: one for 4th – 6th graders, and one for 1st – 3rd graders.

Dealing with the Present…While Preparing for the Future
The three-week long Outreach Summer Program offers teens intensive training in areas such as personal care, home management, orientation and mobility (O&M), food preparation, money management and communication skills. Teens have the chance to work on socialization with their peers and to enjoy recreational activities. The program's goals include increasing self-awareness, improving self-confidence and helping provide young adults with the tools to become more independent.

A Sampling of the World of Work
High school students over the age of 16 can participate in the Outreach Summer Employment Program which offers five weeks of paid job experience in the community. Perkins' staff match the student with the job placement and provide a job coach throughout the work experience. Seminars are held on résumé writing, interviewing skills and other career development topics. Students live in a supervised apartment on the Perkins campus and are responsible for their own meal preparation, household management and planning recreational activities.

Other Outreach programs include Space Camp, Cape Cod Weekend, and Spring Vacation Theater Program.

For more information

For more information about Outreach Services to Students, contact Kelly Cote, Outreach Activities Coordinator, at 617-972-7867 or via e-mail at Kelly.Cote@Perkins.org. For more information about all Outreach services, contact Beth Caruso at Outreach@Perkins.org or call 617-972-7432.