Media Minute – Summer Programs
Where can you work as a design intern at a local sculpture garden, travel through an art installation of over 8,000 hanging colorful bulbs, learn how to play the Native American flute, engage in blind fencing, and build a model of the eye out of everyday items? These are just some of the enriching opportunities that students who attend TSBVI Summer Programs experience! Each summer, hundreds of students from around the state of Texas come to TSBVI to participate in Elementary Summer Enrichment, Secondary Enrichment, Working and Living in the Community (WALIC), and Summer Work Experience in Austin, TX (SWEAT) programs. This Media Minute post features media from these programs.
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Student in SWEAT program gives a presentation on his experience to the staff at Umlauf Sculpture Garden where he was a design intern. -
Using household items to learn about parts of the eye during Masterful Makers -
Enjoying the foam party during residential time -
Making paper pulp during Summer Programs -
Coach Murray giving a blind fencing demonstration -
Making crafts
Elementary Summer Enrichment
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Experimenting with water temperature during a science experiment -
Using the chest press in the weight room -
Splashing in the splash pad with friends on campus -
Playing with shaving cream -
Communicating together during Summer Programs -
Working on door knob assembly in the MakerSpace
Secondary Enrichment
Secondary Enrichment programs offer engaging and age-appropriate learning experiences designed to foster personal growth, build friendships, and strengthen self-advocacy and self-determination.
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Tactile drawing during Summer Programs -
Dripping liquid solution into felt fiber art during the Secondary Enrichment Summer Programs class -
Using the Jupiter Portable Magnifier to magnify a coin -
Researching with the Perkins Brailler and laptop -
Working with littleBits Code Kit in the MakerSpace by snapping together electronic building blocks to learn about circuitry -
Grocery shopping
WALIC
During WALIC (Working and Living in the Community), emphasis is placed on developing independent living and community access skills, as well as promoting personal responsibility and initiative, at work and throughout all other activities. Students in WALIC work at a variety of job sites including Goodwill, Wheatsville Food Co-Op, HEB, and Austin Lighthouse for the Blind.
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Preparing the cups for the Cold Brew Pop-Up at Austin Lighthouse during WALIC -
Budgeting practice in the work center during WALIC -
Cleaning the bagging area at the HEB during WALIC -
Sanitizing the baskets at Wheatsville South Lamar Food Co-Op during WALIC -
Students pose in the University of Texas Union building during WALIC. -
Taking the city bus to work during WALIC
SWEAT
TSBVI collaborates with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to host Summer Work Experience in Austin, Texas (SWEAT). SWEAT is an experiential learning program designed to prepare students for independence and success after high school. During SWEAT students work at Gethsemane Lutheran Childcare, Café Monet Art and Clay Studio, Thinkery Children’s Museum, Double Tree Hotel, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Austin Humane Society among other locations.
A student in SWEAT who served as a classroom intern at Gethsemane Lutheran Church Childcare shared the following skills that she gained during the program,
I learned how to better communicate with children with their reading and spelling. I learned how to get the preschool class’ eyes on me. I learned how to interact with the kids when playing games, and also how to clean up and how to take care of a sick student. The most valuable part of the SWEAT experience was working at my job, meeting my boss, earning money, and paying bills.
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Reading to the children during SWEAT as a classroom Intern in a childcare -
Doing the laundry at the Austin Humane Society during SWEAT -
Labeling books in the Learning Resource Center during SWEAT -
Returning items to the shelf during a job at HEB during SWEAT -
Working with clay at Café Monet Art and Clay studio during SWEAT
State Board of Education (SBOE) Credit Courses
Two courses in Art and PE offer State Board of Education (SBOE) credits toward High School graduation requirements when taken across the span of two summers.
In SBOE Art for Credit students learn a variety of art techniques and processes to express their ideas and experiences – for their own self discovery and to share with others. Activities include drawing, pottery, weaving, wool felting, sewing, laser cutting, sculpture, Native American flute, and creating an artist statement. Students in the Summer 2024 inaugural Art for Credit course shared,
My favorite thing about the summer art program was designing and learning how to play the Native American flute. It was really cool. I have continued playing the Native American flute over the summer. I enjoyed meeting and making new friends while we made beautiful artwork together. Can’t wait to come back the next summer!
I had so much fun in the summer course it felt more like camp! I got to try a lot of different art projects that I’ve never experienced before. I even learned that I like weaving! I can’t wait to come back and finish the course next summer.
In SBOE PE for Credit, students learn how to blend both fun and fitness while participating in a diverse range of physical activities specifically designed for full participation. They build a strong foundation for lifelong fitness and well-being, and each grow individually in building confidence and positive self-esteem with peers while simultaneously learning valuable skills and strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Kathi Garza, TVI and VI Educational Consultant in TSBVI Outreach, who also has albinism, elaborated on the significance of these courses for credit,
I love to see that TSBVI is offering summer program options for credit. I predict that the Art and PE classes have a greater impact for students across the state than we can imagine. Those two subjects can be incredibly challenging for kids with visual impairments to access and might not offer an opportunity for meaningful engagement. As an adult with low vision, I struggled to access content in both subjects, and felt frustrated that my grades were more of a reflection on my visual limitations than my effort. I would love to see these classes grow and continue to provide limitless opportunities for our students to engage!
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Playing the Native American Flute during Art for credit -
Climbing the rock wall during PE for credit -
Painting during Art for credit -
Students in SBOE for credit stretch as a group in the weight room. -
Feeling limestone rock hanging overhead while on a hike during PE for credit -
Doing tape art during Summer Programs Art for credit
Independent Living Skills
Students across all programs practice independent living skills and learn to transfer the skills to their home environment.
Guardians shared, “My daughter enjoyed the summer program greatly! She learned she is capable of doing things independently” and “This was a wonderful experience that allowed my daughter to experience decision making, independent skills and to make friends.”
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Making lunch on the dorm as a group -
Walking to work in the community during SWEAT -
Buying groceries at the HEB during WALIC -
Cooking eggs on the dorm -
Making a choice of food coloring options during an activity
Community Outings
Students regularly travel in the local Austin community to exciting destinations. They visit area colleges and universities, museums and galleries, ride the city bus, or even take a trip on the Amtrak!
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Exploring the water room at the Thinkery Children's Museum -
On the city bus to go on an outing -
Visiting Austin Community College and exploring the high tech equipment used to train firefighters and medical professionals -
In the clutches of a giant King Kong paw during a visit to the Museum of the Weird during Summer Programs -
Walking through the "Submergence" light installation at Wonderspaces Gallery -
Staff and students wait to take the Amtrak to Taylor, TX during WALIC.
For many students, a week in Summer Programs is their first introduction to TSBVI programming. A guardian of a student attending Secondary Enrichment shared,
TSBVI staff are always so understanding, patient, and kind to my son when he comes. I can’t express enough how good it feels to be able to trust y’all to know he will be cared for. The lessons are always very well thought out and I appreciate the effort that is put into planning outings and dorm activities as well. Can’t rave enough about how much I love TSBVI’s summer program!
Please read the article “Empowering Blind and Visually Impaired Students: The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s Summer Programs” in the Fall 2023 issue of TSBVI’s magazine, TX SenseAbilities. It is available in English and in Spanish. Please also visit the Summer Programs page on the TSBVI website for more in-depth information about our exciting offerings.
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Friends share a laugh while building with magnetic tiles. -
Playing in the playground on campus -
Playing with balls on air blowers at the Thinkery children's museum -
Friends pose in the work center during WALIC