A Pathway to Success
“Visually impaired youth stand the greatest chance of successful transition to fully employed adulthood when they are able to perform the basic activities of daily life independently and have good social skills,” states a study published in the July 2012 Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness.
Among Braille Institute’s many youth classes and programs, none more powerfully encompasses those goals than Cane Quest, a national program with regional events held around the country.
Open to youth in grades 3 through 12 who are blind or visually impaired, Cane Quest is an annual orientation and mobility contest in which students earn points by independently completing a walking route carefully designed to encourage proper white cane skills. Success depends on mastering north, south, east and west directions, understanding right and left turns, knowing how to cross streets safely, and utilizing proper safe-travel techniques and cane skills.
Cane Quest fosters essential daily living skills. However, it bestows something even more important. According to psychologist Dr. Lucinda McDermott, whose Boand Family Foundation is the event’s principal donor, “What’s really powerful about Cane Quest is the life experience it offers and the personal interactions and connections it creates.”
Seneca Hill, 1st Place Winner, Cane Quest, Southern California Regional Event remarked, “Winning first place makes me feel more confident in my mobility skills; it makes me feel more independent; and it’s a big boost to my morale!”
