News

by David Olson
NDVS/SB Information Technology

With the upcoming holidays, there is an increase in email and mobile phone scams. Scammers and hackers are calling or sending fake messages to gain information on things like passwords, account numbers, and social security numbers.  If scammers gain that information, the effects can be devastating and damaging to your accounts and credit.

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NDVS/SB APH Coordinator/ Administrative Assistant
Bride-to-be, Barrel Racer, Braille Buzz Enthusiast

Lilly Mankie’s job description at NDVS/SB keeps getting longer. “Since starting at NDVS/SB, I have taken on more and more tasks and am always staying busy,” Lilly says. “Busy” is an understatement. Since starting at NDVS/SB in December of 2018, Lilly’s role has grown as she has helped NDVS/SB grow. She has helped implement a new database system and an app that records providers’ statistics, and she has simplified the ordering process for American Printing House for the Blind (APH) products, all of which has made her colleagues’ lives easier, and her work a bit more complicated. Lilly doesn’t seem to mind, however. “I know that my administrative jobs are very important and keep this place running smoothly,” she says. “I also like my coworkers, so that helps!” 

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NDVS/SB is once again partnering with the ND Space Grant Consortium to offer a scholarship for college students who are eligible for NDVS/SB services. Up to five scholarships from a collective total of $2,500 will be awarded to students pursuing STEM with at least a 3.0 GPA.

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by Cindy Williams
Student Programming Coordinator

NDVS/SB has collaborated with the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium and their STEM Ambassadors for the last five years. NDSGC has provided hands-on and virtual activities for our students along with providing us with tours of their facilities and equipment on UND’s campus. They have been instrumental in bringing STEM activities to those we serve.

In July, Ken Dockter and I took part in a professional development opportunity hosted by the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium at UND’s Aerospace location on campus. It was presented by the Innovative Differentiated Exploration Activities in Space Science (IDEAS) which includes a team from South Carolina, North Carolina, and the North Dakota Space Grant Consortia. The NASA-in-the-Classroom Educator PD Workshop had a goal of encouraging collaboration between special education educators and a national network of STEM educators and NASA researchers, and our experiences during this workshop will be used to improve inclusive and accessible STEM pedagogy.

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When are the Adult Instruction Weeks coming up in 2022 – 2023 school year?  September 11-16, December 4-9, March 19-24, May 14-19, June 4-9. What happens during these weeks?  An adult who has lost vision recently, losing vision, or lost vision decades ago, can come to the school for training in the area of Orientation and Mobility, Technology, Daily Living Skills, Braille, Adjustment, Smartphone instruction, and other classes such as Recreation and Leisure, and Vocational.    

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by Cindy Williams  - Coordinator of Student Programs

Welcome back to the 2022-2023 school year and welcome to Student Short-Term Programs at NDVS/SB! I am honored to be the Coordinator of Student Programs and am looking forward to this school year and working with you and your child/student. Our Short-Term Programs (STP) are designed to offer individual and small class instruction through collaboration with families and local schools. While attending our STP's, students share similar experiences unique to the world of visual impairment and take away self-awareness and confidence through this shared experience.

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By Paul Olson

Ready Set Go! Ready or not it’s the beginning of a new school year. With this new beginning comes a great deal of anticipation I hope all of which is good. There is an energy in the air with the excitement of students being with friends again and for the love of learning. 

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NDVS/SB Region 4 Coordinator
TVI, COMS, Mom, Glamper

August can bring a range of emotions to teachers and students. Some dread back-to-school time, and others – like Danielle Hillebrand – look forward to it all year. This year is an especially exciting time for Danielle, as she’ll be starting a new job at North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind. Over the years, Danielle says, “I have had the privilege of working with several people from NDVS/SB who have shared their resources, knowledge, time, and passion for serving our students and clients with visual impairments,” and she is looking forward to now calling these people her colleagues. 

While it was hard to leave her former position in the public schools, she knew she had to apply for this position when it opened last spring. “It speaks volumes that you’ll find so many people who have worked for NDVS/SB for years and only leave for retirement. I just knew that they had a quality I wanted to be a part of!” she says. Read on to find out more about what Danielle is looking forward to in her new job, what she’s nervous about, and why country living is the life for her.

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We periodically share a young adult's story of success. In this profile, Rowan Stomberg (they/them), who grew up attending short-term programs at NDVS/SB, reflects on the challenges they've faced as they've gotten older. These challenges, Rowan has discovered, have taught them so much and made them who they are -- someone who is now ready to face their future with excitement.

The “No Thank You Bite” was a very important rule in Rowan Stomberg’s home while growing up. “It was my dad’s rule, and it meant we had to at least try it,” whether it was a taste of mushrooms or a new sport, Rowan explains. “Then, if I didn’t like it, I could say that I at least tried it.” As they’ve gotten older, the No Thank You Bite has taken on higher stakes. It’s no longer just referring to new foods or new games. Over the last few years, Rowan has had a variety of life experiences – some that didn’t turn out as planned – but they are grateful for all the “no thank you bites” they’ve tasted. “Making mistakes is how we learn,” Rowan says.

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NDVS/SB Business Manager
Budget Balancer, Lifelong Learner, World Traveler

Tami Purcell’s love of travel started early. “When I was young,” she remembers, “my mother and I traveled through many states via train. I would watch out the window for hours at all the different landscapes.” She’s continued to seek new landscapes throughout her life. “I have traveled to Europe twice, Great Britain, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Canada, and several states,” Tami says. “I have a goal to visit all 50 states and a national park each year.” And she’s shared her love of travel with her family and friends. “When our children were younger, we took them to Glacier via train so they could experience the way I traveled when young,” she explains. 

But most days, Tami can be found in her office at NDVS/SB keeping the budget balanced, making sure building projects are on track, listening to employees who may have a question or a problem, and keeping the business side of NDVS/SB running smoothly. She works hard so she can travel far. Read on to learn more about her job, what changes she’s witnessed during her 22 years at NDVS/SB, and where she’s planning to spend her next vacation days.

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