by Ken Dockter
NDVS/SB Adult Program Coordinator
At the end of every adult instructional week, the clients and staff gather in our Vision Resource Center to discuss the week. First, we pass out Certificates of Courage to the adult clients who attended the week. These certificates are high contrast and tactual, and braille is placed on them for the braille readers. The ceremony consists of talking about the courage and sacrifice it takes for adults to come to the school for a week of instruction in training for low vision or blindness. When someone signs up for a week of training at NDVS/SB, they may not be sure what to expect. They are going to a strange place, not knowing what they will learn, who they will be with that week, or who the instructors are. This can be scary for the person. They may have anxiety; they may be nervous. It is hard to leave a person’s safe life at home. So, the Courage Ceremony and the certificates recognize our appreciation of the adults who come for the week and their willingness to learn new skills and be pushed out of their comfort zone.
As staff, we take time to share about the clients, but, even more impactful, is when the adult clients share their experiences and thoughts from the week. The bonds that are made between the clients, houseparents, and staff can be quite strong by the end of the week. We thank all of the adults who have come and participated in our adult instructional weeks. The Courage Ceremony is a nice way to wrap up the end of our adult weeks and celebrate another successful week for our clients and staff.