Blind Youth Can Now Fulfill Their Astronaut Dreams

Imagine for one moment that you do not have the gift of sight; yet, you still have all the same dreams of other children, for instance, wanting to be an astronaut or doctor when you grow up. Dreams like that might seem 100 percent out of reach to a child who is blind or visually impaired. Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCIVIS) announced today their 2007 schedule. For the last 18 years, organizers of SCIVIS have made the dream of becoming an astronaut an attainable goal for thousands of visually impaired children all around the world.

This annual event occurs at the Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which is also the official visitor center for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. This year's Space Camp will occur September 22 nd through September 27th where students will participate in astronaut and fighter pilot "training". Dan Oates, coordinator of SCIVIS stated that the goal is to even the playing field and provide an unforgettable experience. He further stated that it was amazing to see how much confidence the kids had in themselves after completing the week.

The coordination of this special event involves teachers of visually impaired students from different areas all over the United States. During the week, the equipment at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center is modified specifically to accommodate the abilities of the students. For example, equipment will have Braille transcription, enlarged print, CCTV's, and voice output on some computers. The specialized equipment is donated by sponsors, such as; Enhanced Vision, a cutting-edge company known for developing progressive answers for people with vision problems; the West Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind; Delta Gamma International Sorority; and the Teubert Charitable Trust from Huntington, WV.

During the week, the kids get to find out what its like to train for an actual astronaut mission. The activities will include:

--learning to SCUBA dive while changing a battery in a weightless environment;

--learning how to raise a satellite during a shuttle mission;