Art For Children
Sight and Hearing Impaired
Visually and heating impaired children need not feel left out in Barbados.
The Irving Wilson School in The Pine, St. Michael caters to hearing and visually impaired students from ages 5-18 years. There is the Incorporation of American Sign Language, Braille and large print into the academic program.
The school also offers evening classes in American Sign Language classes for the general public. They can be contacted at 429-2631.
At least one secondary school, Combermere School caters to the visually impaired. Senator Kerry Ann Ifill, who is the first woman in Barbados to hold the position of President of the Senate is blind and was educated at Combermere.
The Senator also went on to gain a degree at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. More recently the school had on its roll, the brilliant and outstanding Janiel Odle who recently graduated at the top of her class.
Visually Impaired Barbadian Orator Takes Second Place
(April 17th, 2012)
In March, 2012 15-year old Combermere student Janeil Odle became the first visually impaired contestant in the local competition of the Optimist Oratorical Contest.
Representing the ‘Progressive Optimist Club of Barbados’ and speaking on the topic, “How my Optimism Helps Me to Overcome Obstacles”, she won from a field of eight female contestants from various secondary schools across the island.
Her win gained her the privilege of representing Barbados at the Optimist International Zone’s Caribbean District Oratorical Contest where she created history for the second time in just one month as the first visually impaired contestant in the competition.
The competition was held at the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica on April 14 where contestants from Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Cayman Islands and Jamaica competed for honours.
Janeil took second place in the regional competition.
Get Help!
Schools for children with special needs (click)
Barbados Council for the Disabled
Harambee House,The Garrison,
St Michael,Tel: 427-8136 Sightsavers -
http://www.sightsavers.org/default.htmlhttp://www.sightsavers.org/kidzone/
