BISM Logo, blue and gold compass icon with modern styled letters reading BISM Empowering the Blind Community, employing, educating, training.

Winter 2024

BISM Preparing for College Life Program (Summer 2024)

Fourteen STAR students wearing comfortable clothes and holding canes pose inside.

Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) is excited to run a week-long program regarding college life for students. This residential program will provide participants with multiple college tours, conversations with disability service counselors, and discussions surrounding college life and accommodations. Students will reside in dorm style housing while experiencing a myriad of colleges across the state. 

Program Dates: Friday, June 14 to Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Ages Eligible: 14 to 21
Location: Baltimore, MD

If you are interested in attending this program, please complete the Interest Form here.

With any questions, reach out to Juhi Narula at (410) 737-2642 or jnarula@bism.org.

BISM STAR Program

Alanis prepares to launch into the Ninja rings in indoor gym.

The STAR (Student Training in Advocacy and Responsibility) Program is a 4-week, fully residential program that aids blind and low vision students in developing a true understanding of the career choices available to them through information and skills acquisition, confidence building, and practical experience. Through an experiential learning approach, students will be exposed to a new industry each week, exploring the career options within the industry, attending job site tours, and completing real-life tasks and assignments in that profession. The industries covered during the STAR 2023 program are Education, Engineering, Hospitality, and Business.

  • Program Purpose:
    • To expose students to industries they believe they cannot do due to their blindness and prove to them that they can.
    • To expand students’ views of what they are capable of and the occupational options available to them.
    • To develop students’ career plans, applying a realistic perspective and providing the necessary supports to propel them forward in their ambitions.
  • Age range: 14 to 21

STAR Staff Application Announcement

BISM STAR Summer Program Staffing Position Open!

We at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) are very excited to offer the STAR Program!

The STAR (Students Training in Advocacy and Responsibility) Program is a 4-week, fully residential program that aids blind and low vision students in developing a true understanding of the career choices available to them. Through an experiential learning approach, we will be exposing students to a new industry each week, exploring the career options within the industry, attending job site tours, and completing real-life tasks and activities in that profession. The industries covered during the program are Education, Engineering, Hospitality, and Business. Some activities and areas of focus include 3D printing, hotel management, glass blowing, and business creation.

As a potential staffer in the STAR Program, your role will be to serve as a leader and role model, all while having fun as we explore Baltimore, Washington DC, and Houston, Texas. Participants and staffers in the program will be traveling to the National Federation of the Blind’s National Convention in Houston, Texas during the week of July 1st as well. We are looking for enthusiastic, positively-minded, caring people to work and make a  positive difference in the lives of blind teens.

Applications are to be completed and submitted by April 15. Interviews will be conducted via telephone and are anticipated to take place in the beginning of May.  If selected to work in STAR, you will be asked to give BISM permission to perform a comprehensive background check as well.

Program location: Residential program based in Baltimore, Maryland
Program Dates: June 18 to July 15 (including weekends)
Staff Training: June 13 to June 18
Pay for 4-week staffing: $3,000 to $3,500

You can find the position responsibilities and additional details at the application link here.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to Juhi Narula at jnarula@bism.org or (410) 737-2642.

BISM Gold STAR Summer Program

Thirteen STAR participants, many wearing BISM t-shirts, sit around a rectangular restaurant table enjoying a meal.

Gold STAR Student Interest Announcement

Have you ever wanted to gain experience in the working world before formally entering it? Or wished you could get paid for learning instead of the other way around? 

Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) is excited to introduce the Gold STAR Program! This fully residential program will provide participants with a 4-week Work Based Learning Experience. Students will reside in apartment style housing with their peers while working in a professional environment and receiving nonvisual skills training from competent Blind professionals. 

This work experience will provide you as a student with a first-hand perspective of professional environments and the responsibilities that come with a career. Additionally, the nonvisual skills (i.e. Braille, Technology, Orientation & Mobility, Independent Living, and Job Readiness) will help you learn how to become independent while maintaining a job. 

Program Dates: July 13 to August 9, 2024 (including weekends)
Ages Eligible: 16 to 21
Location: Baltimore, MD

If you are interested in attending this program, please complete the Gold STAR 2024 Interest Form here.

With any questions or concerns, reach out to Juhi Narula at (410) 737-2642 or jnarula@bism.org

Gold STAR Staff Application Announcement

BISM Gold STAR Summer Program Staffing Position Open!

BISM is excited to introduce the Gold STAR Program!

This fully residential program will provide blind and low vision students with a 4-week Work Based Learning Experience (e.g. customized employment and training plan). Students will reside in apartment style housing with their Blind peers while working in a professional environment and receiving nonvisual skills training from competent Blind professionals. The work experience will provide students with a first-hand perspective of professional environments and the responsibilities that come with a career. The nonvisual skills (i.e. Braille, Technology, Orientation & Mobility, Independent Living, and Job Readiness) will introduce the students to a roadmap for independence. 

As a Gold STAR Program Staffer, your role will be to serve as an instructor, leader, and mentor to the students. Applications should be submitted by April 1, 2024. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom and are anticipated to take place in mid-April.  

All offers of employment will be contingent upon a successful comprehensive background check.

Program location: Baltimore, Maryland (you do not need to reside in Maryland to apply as a staffer)
Program Dates:  July 13 to August 9, 2024 (including weekends)
Staff Training: TBD based on staff availability
Pay for 4-week staffing: $3,000 to $3,500

You can find the position responsibilities and additional details in the application link here.

BISM’s Immersion Course: To See or Not to See

Shawn, dressed in dark slacks and a gray sweater, sits at table in a large event room, wearing sleep shades. He is seated next to a woman enjoying a cup of coffee.

A first hand look at Shawn’s three-week sleep shade training.

By Shawn Savage, Senior Director, Base Supply Centers

You might wonder, why does one, if given the choice to go under sleep shades, chooses to do so?

When I joined BISM in August of 2018 at the Dover BSC, it was not an option to participate in the Sleep Shade Immersion course until now. Back in 2018, when I first started this was my first-time experiencing working with blind and low vision co-workers, it was amazing to see just how they did the same things I could do, but in a different way. That was the theme I consistently heard, “A blind person can do anything a sighted person can do, just in a different way.” The more I saw the attitudes of the Associates at the Dover BSC, the more I understood that having sight is not a hinderance but more of an obstacle to overcome in the same way we as sighted individuals must overcome obstacles.

Fast forward to 2024, I finally had the opportunity to become a student in our ITR department and experience “blindness.”  The positions I held prior did not offer me this opportunity but now as part of the leadership team, I thought it was important to go through the program. So, in February I chose Not to See and training began. It was never a requirement for me to go through Sleep-Shade training, but if I was hired into my current position, I would have gone through it within those first few months, so I wanted to take this opportunity now to better understand what our students do daily in our programs. I had no clue as to what I was getting myself into, but I consistently heard from my colleagues about their experience, and I couldn’t relate.  Finally, it was my turn, and my training began.

On my first day I was to get fitted for a cane and given sleep-shades to wear. Anica, BISM’s Manager of Training & Accessibility was my mentor throughout this three-week program and prior to putting on the shades we had an in-depth discussion and watched videos on the philosophy of blindness as well as she sent me documentation on simulation training to read. Then it was onto my first assignment – making my way to the morning meeting! One of the things I noticed right away that BISM is great at, is not enabling the student. Not only did they treat me like any CORE student, but they followed the same program, making me feel very comfortable. I was introduced to the students, as well as assigned to a more senior student who was nearing graduation who led me to my classes. I was amazed at how much they helped me by not helping me. No one tried to grab my hand, my arm, or even my cane to lead me to the classroom. I had to listen to his voice and follow his lead.

Throughout my three weeks I had the core classes of travel, braille, technology, independent living, and woodshop. My day always started with either cane travel or independent living. I am sure in the beginning I put some dents in the walls and file cabinets that lined the way! Learning how to properly use a cane, I must admit, was a challenge. You are using muscles and holding your hands and arms in a different way. The Palm Up method will have your hand cramping in no time, but once you get it, you get it, and it starts to feel natural. The Pencil method was a little more comfortable, though you use each method in various situations. I spent hours walking up and down our hallways looking for certain offices, people, or rooms. All our cane travel instructors have varying methods of teaching, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. Going outside, up and down stairs, crossing a street, and navigating around the building on ice, was intimidating but the reward of accomplishment outweighed the anxiety each time.

Next was braille taught by Dezmond and Jenn. Never in a million years would I have thought I would learn braille! My first couple braille classes, I was given a braille block with six dots on it. I learned on my first day the first ten letters and was even able to spell words with those letters; what a great sense of accomplishment that I felt on my first day! The remaining days, I was able to learn all 26 letters and numbers 0-9, and the ability to read words printed in normal size braille. It was amazing to me how I was able to read braille in such a short amount of time.

Technology was my next class taught by Carley and Dezmond.  This was a class I have always been interested in as my background used to be in IT. This class was relatively easier for me as I knew my way around the keyboard but still had to learn how to navigate using JAWs and other function keys.

Home Management or Independent Living was next. This was mainly centered around the kitchen and learning my way around the kitchen and cooking non-visually. Using some of my skills I learned in my Technology class I was able to use the Seeing AI app on my phone to identify the different products in the pantry. I was also able to identify the many seasonings in the cabinet; however, some seasonings I had to taste as I couldn’t tell what they were. I was doing great until I thought baking soda was flour from the touch, but I learned quickly when I tasted it, I was incorrect. I never got those two mixed up again! Learning to center a pan over the gas burner was also a great learning experience. Since I have a gas stove at home, I used the gas stove to work on. Have you ever wondered how to center a pot overheat non-visually? Well, my instructor Laura instructed me how to do just that. By holding the pan in my left hand, and my right-hand hovering over the pan until I felt equal heat on all sides making sure the pan was centered. Then you can adjust the flame and feel the heat rise and lower informing you of how much heat is being used. I had so much fun cooking sausages, eggs, and toast for my students and instructors. Carley loved my food, though she would run every time she smelled food! During my time in the kitchen, I also cut lettuce, strawberries, and baked peanut butter cookies from scratch.

Finally, and probably my favorite was Woodshop with Liz. Our woodshop is like any other woodshop you would find with real hand and electric tools. The only difference is the click ruler.  My first task was to measure different lengths using the click ruler. I used an auger to score the wood at the measurements and created cross scores to find the center of the wood. Afterwards, I took the piece to a drill press and drilled holes where I made the cross scores. Liz instructed me how to line up the wood and securely hold it safely to drill the hole. This accomplishment in sleep-shades was unbelievable! I never imagined I would have been able to put 24 holes in a piece of wood! I think I even chuckled at the accomplishment.

During my three weeks there were also a few events I attended under sleep shades. On my second day, yes, my second day I attended an event outside of BISM.  Here I was just getting comfortable using a cane inside our building and I had to navigate another building and room. This was the first time I questioned what I signed up for! But Carley assured me I could do it and I was able to navigate with instruction down steps, and outside to participate in the event.   Additionally, I attended the National Federation for the Blind’s Annual Maryland chapter conference under sleep shades. Here I stayed in the hotel for the entire weekend, another place I was not familiar with even without the shades on! Anica joined me as my mentor/instructor during the conference and I learned to navigate my way through the conference center, finding the elevator and conference rooms.

My immersion course overall was excellent, and I now understand why it is something BISM wants its Associates to experience. I never once felt unsafe or uncertain, as all the instructors guided me and allowed me to learn on my own. I may lose some of the skills I learned these past three weeks, but I will never forget this experience and instructors and students I met. If you ever get the opportunity to go through the immersion program, I highly suggest you consider it.

Independence Training & Rehabilitation (ITR) Graduates

Celebrating our Winter 2023/2024 Graduates

As always, we are proud of all our current graduates and what have accomplished in their months of training and exploration. Please meet our most recent graduates:

Alicia Crosson, on right wearing a proud smile, reads braille. She is accompanied at the awards table by Antonio Menedez, her mentor and instructor.

Alicia completed her CORE training by organizing and leading other students on a walking tour of Federal Hill in downtown Baltimore. She also booked and completed a trip to Orlando, Florida. On this trip she applied all the skills acquired during training in a new and unfamiliar environment. It was a smashing success! To top everything off, Alicia also made her very own rolling pin in Woodshop class. Alicia is currently enrolled in a Cyber security course and expects to receive her certificate of completion in April. We wish Alicia all the best in her newfound confidence!

Jayson smiles broadly as he receives his certificate for completing CORE training. Jason is embraced warmly by his sponsor.

Jayson completed his CORE training with his head held high. When he first came to BISM he was very nervous about traveling on his own and not doing things with his family as they had always been by his side. By the time he rang that bell on graduation day he was doing things all on his own. What a huge accomplishment! Jayson’s favorite class was technology as he always was helping other students when it came to assistive technology assistance on their phones. He is currently pursuing a job at Apple to help other people learn about the capabilities of an iPhone.

Daryl stands with his supporters as he receives his CORE training certificate.

Daryl’s completed CORE with positive energies and relentless work ethic. He will be sorely missed by both staff and students. Daryl’s graduation ceremony was a true event as he personally invited half of Western Baltimore to attend! Many stories were shared, bring laughter and joy to everyone! Daryl is a true example of what we can accomplish together! One story that was repeated by many was Daryl’s student led outing where he organized an outing for staff and students to spend an afternoon playing Laser Tag. There were many doubters when the plan was hatched, how would they play Laser Tag under sleep shades? Daryl pushed forward, cleared all the hurdles for everyone and afterwards there were smiles all around and a unique sense of independence and confidence amongst all the students.

We can’t wait to follow-up on all three graduates and get updates on how their training has impacted their lives and helped move them forward in their independence.

CONGRATULATIONS!