Connecticut College CELS Internship Blogs 2007

Day 5, May 30: One thing I need to remember when walking around this city is to trust my instincts. When sighted people tell me I can cross the street, I need to be more strong-willed – if I was planning to wait until the next traffic cycle, I need to feel free to do so. Boy, this jay-walking fad is crazy. It’s something you don’t really see in Los Angeles. Once I got to work, I was delighted to find that I had received my CELS check in the mail. That will be a great help in paying my rent.
I started on Lina’s reader profile for the annual report today, which involved writing up the notes I’d taken in her interview yesterday. It was actually quite enjoyable, because I had to make sure I was writing from a middle schooler’s perspective. I also got a free copy of a Braille manual on using Microsoft Word with Jaws from customer service. Jaws, if I haven’t already said so, is the software on my laptop that reads the text on the screen aloud to me. Because I can’t see to use a mouse, I use keyboard commands for everything. I got the book (for free, because it’s job-related) so that I can learn some new Word-related commands. I honestly didn’t have enough to do today, but that happens sometimes when you’re an intern.

Day 6, May 31: The E Train stopped on the opposite side of the platform today, thanks a lot! Nevertheless, I got here in record time!
I started the day by e-mailing one of the funds that we might be interested in getting grants from, if we qualify. Why do I suspect that I won’t ever hear from them? I was given a long list of top grant-giving companies in the Boston area that we want to check out. Apparently one of my supervisors saw this list in a business magazine or newspaper, and wanted to investigate. For the rest of the day I tackled the list, which included energy providers, healthcare companies, law firms, and banks – to name a few. I wrote down the main programs and projects that we are doing: math and science textbook production, production of books for our Children’s Braille Book Club, and distribution of book bags to every family in the country with blind preschoolers. We also put out a weekly publication of newspaper columns from that week. As I research, I try to find companies that have a focus similar to one of those programs.

Day 7, Happy June!: I almost bumped my head twice on my way to work, though I avoided the second obstacle (stupid tree). Note to self: if you move your cane in a wide arc as you walk, as you were taught to do, that wouldn’t happen. Also, listen harder for the E train so you don’t almost miss it like today, and trust yourself.
Not much new to report, except that I got a second list of prospective companies to apply to, which I access through a database specifically for literacy grants called “National Lincs.” If I find one that seems to be a good fit as I go, I go to Guidestar and print the Form 990 for the company, so I can give it to my supervisor. I got through about ten companies today, not bad.