Impressions Portfolio

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Amanda VoAccount ExecutiveBlind ChildrensLearning Center


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Cover Letter

May 8, 2011

To whom it may concern,

I am a public relations and advertising major with a minor in communication studies, and I am veryinterested in obtaining a position with your organization. I feel that I am highly quali ed to work ina position that requires ample knowledge of public relations, social media and marketing strategies.

As an account executive in Chapman ImPRessions, Chapmans rst student-run PR rm, I believe Ihave gained real-life experience and a deeper understanding of the eld of public relations, as well asfostered exceptional team-building skills. By maintaining and taking charge of a team working for areal client (Blind Childrens Learning Center,) I was also able to develop strong leadership skills andunderstand how to e ectively communicate with both my client and my team members.

I have been an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, as well as a participantof the 2010 Bateman Competition. Bateman demanded the majority of my time, and I worked on andimplemented a real campaign for not only Chapman students, but communities surrounding Chapmanas well. My team and I were honorable mentions in the nation, and were one of the only two teams tobe recognized in California (the other team being from Chapman as well.)

Each of the three internships I have had thus far have provided me with a new kind of knowledge thatI believe will bene t your organization. While my internships with Brazilian Gloss and Aaron BowleyStudios required me to write and distribute press releases, contact media for publicity and promotions,

and write informative yet succinct announcements on social media, my participation in the DisneyCollege Program prepared me with interpersonal communication and crisis management.

I believe that your organization will bene t greatly from my prior experience with campaign work,and my ability to motivate team members, ensure productivity, and work in a timely yet high-qualitymanner.

I have enclosed my resume with my prior experience in the eld of public relations, as well as myachievements. Thank you very much for your time and consideration; please do not hesitate if youhave any questions or comments for me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best Regards,

Amanda Vo


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Amanda Vo206.697.6508181 S Lewis St. #106, Orange, CA [email protected]@AmandaVo

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS: Very familiar with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Blogger, LiveJournal, MySpace, YouTube, and other social media websites Very proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, iLife Suite, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and InDesign Can type at 132 WPM Demo reel and design & writing portfolio available upon request

EXPERIENCE: Aaron Bowley Studios PR Intern May 2010October 20

Wrote and distributed press releases/media pitches to music blogs and websites, as well as PRLog, about Aaron BowleyStudios and the bands produced by ABS

Wrote a comprehensive biography on Aaron Bowley Studios Helped design and create the Aaron Bowley Studios website Managed Twitter and communicated with fans/potential clients on a daily basis

Chapman ImPRessions April 2010Present Brainstormed, planned and implemented promotional campaigns for our client, Chapman Coffeehouse Updated and managed social media Reported to both the account executive and ImPRessions officers on a biweekly basis with updates

Brazilian Gloss PR Intern March 2010May 2010 Wrote and distributed press releases/articles on PRLog and Ezine Sent out media pitches to magazines Updated social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook Helped with the creative development process of the new image of Brazilian Gloss Updated Brazilian Hair Straightening on Wikipedia with information about Brazilian Gloss

Cooler Planet Video Editor March 2010Present Edited promotional videos for Cooler Planet, a Seattle-based environmentalist company Created instrumental tracks as supplementary background music for videos

Bateman National Student PR Campaign Competition: Honorable Mention November 2009April 2010 Created and implemented a public relations campaign as a team for the U.S. Census Bureau at Chapman University and

surrounding communities Wrote and sent press releases to local media, one of which was published on Asian Pacific Islander Counts website Led and managed the social media aspect of the campaign Compiled a campaign portfolio of our work for submittal to PRSA and received an honorable mention

Public Relations Student Society of America August 2008Present Wrote press releases for PRSSA-sponsored events Attended weekly meetings

WORK EXPERIENCE:Chapman University Student Affairs Public Relations Assistant September 2010Present

Created and implemented campaigns for student-related events throughout campus Managed the Dean of Students Twitter and Facebook Worked with the Student Affairs Creative Team to design promotional materials Reported to the Assistant Dean of Students and Student Affairs Student Manager on a daily basis Revised and rebranded Chapman Nights, an overarching name for Chapman-funded student events

Starbucks Coffee Company, Bellevue, WA August 2007February 2010 Barista

Created relationships with customers Promoted and sold new products to customers Multitasked on a day-to-day basis Trained and mentored new employees Awarded the title of Barista of the Month: April 2008 & August 2009

EDUCATION:Chapman University, Orange, CADodge College of Film and Media Arts GPA 3.6 August 2008Present

Earning a B.A. in Public Relations/Advertising (Minor in Communication Studies)


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Blind ChildrensLearning Center


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Executive Summary

The Blind Childrens Learning Center is a non-pro t organization that strives to provide earlyintervention, education and services to both visually impaired and seeing children in order to createan independent and healthy lifestyle. Located in Santa Ana, Calif., the Blind Childrens Learning Center(BCLC) is the only center of its kind in Orange County. Founded by six blind adults in 1962, BCLC isclosing in on its 50th anniversary.

The 50th anniversary was the perfect event for my team and I to focus our public relations e ortsaround. 50 years is big: the golden anniversary, half a century--we wanted to make sure our campaignhad a catchy yet appropriate slogan that not only resonated with our audiences and the center, butthanked all of BCLCs supporters over the years.

Our research gave us very important insights regarding our audiences and how we should go aboutreaching them with our campaign. With two very wide-ranging target audiences--existing and/or

previous donors of both time and money, and our potential audience of individuals serving a similarcause, we knew our communication e orts would have to cater to many di erent types of people.We quickly learned that while our existing audiences were a bit more old-fashioned and preferred toreceive information via email or even postal mail, our potential audiences would greatly bene t fromreceiving information through social media.

We searched for a campaign theme that showed appreciation for the past and ambition for the future,and after conducting a survey with four potential themes, we ultimately decided on 50 Years of HelpingHands . With this theme, we were able to create new logos and imagery to maintain consistency onBCLCs collateral; formulate social media announcements around an ongoing message; write pressreleases alluding to the 50th anniversary; and create a corporate sponsorship package for potentialdonors or sponsors of the event.

As the account executive for BCLC, I delegated tasks, maintained constant communication with ourclient, and ensured optimal productivity from my account. Because of my position in the rm, pleasenote that the following pages consist of both my teammates work as well as my own. Continue readingto see how we helped BCLC thank its audience for their 50 Years of Helping Hands.


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Secondary Research

The Mission of Blind Childrens Learning Center is to provide early intervention, education and services for blind, visuallyimpaired and deaf/blind infants and youth and their families to allow access to education in preparation to lead independent

lives.

In the early 1960s, six blind adults founded Services for the Blind. Now known as the Blind Childrens Learning Center,these founders felt the needs of the visually impaired and learned that the key to living a successful life without vision isto start at a young age. And so, the BCLC developed a comprehensive, alternative program allowing children to not onlythrive blind, but also enter the mainstream schools and world around them. The organization is the only one of its kindin Southern California that addresses the needs of the blind, visually impaired and children with multiple disabilities frombirth through high school. The track toward independence begins with Infant Family Focus, an in-home service allowingparents to be part of the crucial developmental days. At six months, the child may begin attending the Early ChildhoodCenter. After graduation from this stage, blind children can usually enter a public kindergarten program with maintainedsupport from the BCLC. The Youth Outreach program leads students through their public school experience by providingmobility training, vision instruction and Braille instruction (Programs & Services). The BCLC stimulates each childs naturaldesire to learn and explore leading it to a life of independence, not much di erent than any other.

Visual impairment encompasses a full range of vision loss, from complete blindness to partial vision loss, as well as legalblindness. Genetics, illness, or injury may cause visual impairment. Sometimes, vision problems may form even before achild is born. Although a childs eyes may function correctly, the brain may have di culty processing the information if the optic nerve did not form correctly. Some of the pediatric eye disorders that could have a ected the children at BlindChildrens Learning Center include amblyopia, in which the eyes cannot coordinate alignment; strabismus, when the eyesare not straight (cross-eyed); or retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a disease in the retina a ecting prematurely bornbabies. Visual problems a ect each childs development di erently, depending on the severity, type of loss, age at whichthe condition appears, and overall functioning level of the child. Because a visually impaired child has little reason toexplore the interesting objects in the environment, he or she may miss opportunities to learn about the world. The childmay also have trouble imitating social behavior or understanding nonverbal cues. As a result, the child may feel secludedand not develop a sense of independence.Possible avenues BCLC could take would be to partner with local hospitals and optometrists. On the Childrens Hospital

of Orange County (CHOC)s website, they pride themselves in being the rst to do many things, such as being the rstchildrens hospital in Orange County, having the rst emergency room for children, etc. This could actually relate back toBCLC and how it is the rst (and only) center of its kind in Orange County. St Josephs is also on a local level and focuseson improving health and quality of life in people the communities we serve. While St. Josephs hospital is not directlyfocused on pediatrics, it has a strong ophthalmology practice, which will be bene cial to BCLC and its eye therapy sessions.

As mentioned before, BCLC prides itself for being the only center of its kind; however, there is a Blind Childrens Centerin Los Angeles, which is relatively close to BCLCs location in Santa Ana, Calif. In fact, it was founded prior to BCLC and isshown to be more successful as well. Because the Blind Childrens Center has very similar programs and mission statementsas BCLC, it can be seen as a role model with standards in which BCLC may aim to achieve or even surpass. The centerkeeps up to date on their social media connections and engages the audience in announcements and events. However, thesuccess is merely judged in comparison to the current state of BCLCs online presence.

Through this secondary research, many conclusions and observations were made regarding the potential plans ChapmanImPRessions will implement for BCLC. The center could consider partnering with the local hospitals and therapists/ pediatricians in order to gain more awareness and increase number of students in the center. Furthermore, the centercould collaborate with the Blind Childrens Center in Los Angeles to generate more awareness about child blindness andpromote each others centers in their respective towns. By reaching out to more potential donors, collaborators and therest of the community, BCLC will be able to improve its programs and work toward achieving its goal of helping childrenwith visual impairments become functional members of society.


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Primary Research

The Blind Childrens Learning Centers main focus is committing to nurturing children as a whole, and the eld trip to thecenter itself proved this point. On February 15, 2011, Mi Mai, Kristin Soo Hoo and Amanda Vo visited the center and learnednot only about the services the center provides, but the dedication each sta member possesses for the children as well.The eld trip itself broke down each of the centers focuses, such as the di erent on-site specialists for counseling, speech,occupational therapy and ophthalmology, as well as the classrooms for di erent age groups. At rst glance, the centerlooks no di erent from a regular preschool: the playgrounds are completely normal and the classrooms have just as manytoys and wall decorations as any other. But when taking a closer look, one can see the minuscule di erences: each studenthas an object with a consistent texture that is placed on all of his or her items (chairs, desks, cubbies, etc.), distinguishableitems are placed on walls to help guide (chains will be placed on a wall that is directly in front of the swing set), and allcorners and poles are surrounded with elevated markers so the children can tell if they are approaching something. This

eld trip was eye opening and provided a more personal experience for Mi, Kristin and Amanda with the center.

Another form of primary research conducted was a focus group with Kathy Buehler, Kim Neuhauser and Heather Thompsonon March 4, 2011, with Whitney Finn and Allegra Batista. The focus group began with a discussion about why BCLC wantedto partner with Chapman ImPRessions, and what the center hoped to gain from the experience. They said they were

hoping to understand more about the opportunities that lie in technology today, and how the center could use them tospread awareness about their cause. Afterwards, Whitney and Allegra cleared up the confusion regarding the surveys thatthe account wanted to distribute: while Kathy, Kim and Heather were under the impression that the surveys would beasking for donations, Whitney and Allegra rea rmed that the surveys were solely for collecting information regardinghow to best reach the centers contributors, as well as learn more about their involvement with BCLC. This then lead toWhitney and Allegra revising the survey to compromise both the accounts needs, as well as the centers interests, andKim, Kathy and Heather compiled a list of contacts to whom the surveys will be distributed. The focus group session lastedapproximately one hour.

The survey was distributed to 115 people; however, as of March 9, 2011, only 45 have responded. After looking at the results,it seems that most of the centers contacts are internal: The most results were returned by current sta members andregular volunteers, while donors turned out a large sum of responses as well. Those who responded to the survey tended todonate for reasons related to the centers valuable programs and children in need. Furthermore, many of the respondents

had personal ties to the center, such as being a parent of an alumnus or actually attending the school previously. Theorganizations weakest area of program awareness is seen in its alumni relations and events, which presents an opportunity.To allow the development of a contact list and discover the most ideal way to keep in touch with internal and externalsupporters, it was surprising to see that very few prefer to use social media as a form of communication, and instead prefercommunicating via email. While Kim, Kathy and Heather decided to have a gala for the 50th anniversary celebration, mostrespondents prefer an on-campus event including children and alumni. To get involved, survey responses show a largeinterest in attending, but also sponsoring events for the anniversary. Volunteerism through planning, material distributionand awareness building are also popular.

The results from the primary research present the account with many opportunities. After meeting with Kim, Kathy andHeather in the focus group, it was decided that at least two members of the account should meet with them at the centeronce a week in order to avoid miscommunication and create a stronger relationship with the client. Also, as evident in thesurvey results, while Kathy, Kim and Heather were very passionate about having the account implement a social mediacampaign, this may not be the best method to reach contributors, since most of them prefer communication via email.The account may instead need to focus more on rebranding the center and creating a more cohesive format for all of theircollateral, and help the center format an online or email newsletter for contributors. Overall, the primary research collectedproved to be very helpful and informative about what the account will need to accomplish in the implementation phase.


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PR Plan

Situation Analysis1. Mission

a.The Blind Childrens Learning Center strives to provide early intervention, education and services to both visuallyimpaired and seeing children in order to create a healthy, independent lifestyle.2. Competitors

a. Blind Childrens Center in Los Angeles, Calif., as well as other nonpro t organizations in the area competing fordonations and support3. Programs, services or products

a. Infant Family Focus, Early Childhood Center, Outreach, and Therapy Servicesi. Comprehensive services that start as early as possible and continue through high school:

1. Braille instruction2. Orientation and mobility3. Adaptive technology4. Optometry5. Occupational therapy6. Speech therapy

7. Physical therapy8. Nursing4. Motivation

a. Having relations with someone who is visually impaired, or having personally experienced the services andprograms BCLC has to o er

b. Seeing the center and understanding the importance of what BCLC is doing for children5. Current PR activities

a. Facebook fan page (somewhat inactive)b. Newly redesigned websitec. E-newsletter that is sent to donorsd. Maintains good relationships with donors and alumni/alumni parents via email, telephone and postal maile. Print collateral such as iers and brochuresf. Annual events for donors, parents, students, alumni and sta (golf tournament & 5K walk)

6. Issues/Problemsa. Funding and a strong community support systemb. Lack of consistency in PR-related materialc. Lack of a media contact listd. BCLC involves many stakeholders, creating more target audiences that it needs to reach

ObjectivesGoal: To begin building awareness of the Blind Childrens Learning Center and the services it provides by May 19, 2011, aswell as prepare the center for future promotional activities.

Objectives:1. To engage 400 of potential supporters through communication e orts by May 19, 20112. Announce and brand the Blind Childrens Learning Centers 50th anniversary by May 19, 2011 and help maintain buzz


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PR Plan

Key Audiences Individuals serving a similar cause in Orange County

o This can include a wide range of people, including optometrists, therapists, other nonpro t supporters and eventhe Delta Gamma sorority. This group is going to be the one that BCLC will target in order to create awareness, and eventhough there are many subcategories within this audience, the message to each will remain consistent. Donors (time and money)

o In order to ensure continued support, it is important to target the donors who are contributing time, money orboth to the center. BCLCs main audience when announcing the 50th anniversary will be its current supporters, and theywill be the ones who will most likely attend and donate to the cause.

Theme50 Years of Helping Hands

Messages Acknowledge and celebrate BCLCs 50th anniversary Encourage participation with BCLC

Disband our reputation of being Orange Countys best kept secret and show people about the importance and impactof BCLC

StrategiesObjective 1: To engage 400 of potential supporters through communication e orts by May 19, 2011Audience 1: Individuals serving a similar cause Create a social media campaign

o Tactics Create a Twitter account for the center to reach out to multiple audiences Educate and advise the centers sta about proper Facebook usage Set up a Blogger account to expand the centers social media in uence and allow outside contributions Featured person of the week on blog for 50 weeks Maintain a consistent voice on social media

Encourage virtual gold handprints on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Rebrand collateral to maintain consistency

o Tactics Use research to identify various messages in collateral to create one cohesive umbrella concept Create uniform templates for all BCLC collateral, including iers, newsletters, brochures & letterheads Distribute aforementioned materials to our target audience via social media, email and print

Objective 2: Announce and brand the Blind Childrens Learning Centers 50th anniversary by May 19, 2011 and help maintainbuzzAudience 2: Donors (time and money) Reveal the 50th anniversary at BCLCs donor-targeted events

o Tactics Distribute 50th anniversary iers at the May 5K walk Have a formal announcement from Kim Neuhauser during events

Film announcement Include mini-events such as fastest Braille reader all day

Write one press release to be distributed prior to the May 5K walk Focus promotional e orts toward raising awareness about the 50th anniversary

o Tactics Create a brand/logo speci c to the 50th anniversary to be used solely over the course of the 18-month

rollout period Employ social media usage to increase and sustain interest about the 50th anniversary Write three press releases to be used at future BCLC events throughout the 18-month rollout for the

50th anniversary celebration


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Press Releases

BLIND CHILDRENS LEARNING CENTER18542-B Vanderlip Ave.Santa Ana, CA 92705Contact: Kathy BuehlerPhone: (714) 573-8888, ext. 102Email: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BCLC HOSTS ANNUAL 5K WALK FOR BLIND CHILDRENBlind Childrens Learning Center Sponsors Fundraiser to Brighten the Future of the Visually Impaired The Blind Childrens Learning Center will host its annual 5K Walk fundraiser on Saturday, May 14 at 9 a.m. at its Santa

Ana, Calif. campus. Kodi Lee, 14-year-old blind singer, pianist and former BCLC student, will serve as the events guest ambassador. High-level participants will receive BCLC T-shirts, baseball caps, blankets, windbreakers, and sports bags.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (April 10) -- The Blind Childrens Learning Center will host its 7th Annual Destination -> Independence 5K Walk on Saturday, May 14 at 9 a.m. to raise funds for local blind, visually impaired and deaf/blind infants and youth,said Blind Childrens Learning Center (BCLC) President and Executive Director Kim Neuhauser.

14-year-old blind singer, pianist and performer Kodi Lee will serve as the events guest ambassador. He was diagnosedas legally blind at three months old and autistic at age four. Despite all obstacles, the former BCLC student and strongsupporter of the school and its alumni group has ourished academically and become a musical prodigy, according toNeuhauser.

At our event, blind and sighted children and adults will walk side-by-side to raise money for the advancement of ourcenters outreach and education programs, said Neuhauser.

The 7th Annual Destination -> Independence 5K Walk will start at the BCLC campus in Santa Ana. Registration will open

at 7:30 a.m., and the walk will begin at 9 a.m.

The Blind Childrens Learning Center encourages student and volunteer teams, corporate teams and individuals toparticipate in the event. Participants of higher levels will receive BCLC T-shirts, baseball caps, blankets, windbreakers, andsports bags. The center will provide refreshments to all participants as well.

For sponsorship opportunities and registration for the walk, visit the BCLC website, call (714) 573-8888, ext. 2104, or emailevent organizers at [email protected].

About the Blind Childrens Learning CenterFounded in 1962, the Blind Childrens Learning Center provides early intervention, education and services for blind, visually impaired and deaf-blindinfants, youth and families. The center o ers early intervention services to infants and their families at home and education to toddlers, preschool andkindergarten students on its Santa Ana, Calif. campus. Furthermore, it continues youth outreach programs through high school to enhance life skills.BCLC o ers a variety of services, including Braille instruction, orientation and mobility, and speech and occupational therapy. Credentialed teachers and

therapists also provide tutoring and mentoring for the children. Working with blind, visually impaired and deaf/blind children from infancy through highschool, BCLC sta aims to strengthen the childrens life skills. This way, the centers students may eventually enroll in the public school system and acquirethe independence that they will need as adults.BCLC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-pro t organization. All donations are tax deductible as permitted by law.

###If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Kim Neuhauser, please call Kathy Buehler at (714) 573-8888,ext. 102 or e-mail Kathy at [email protected].

18542-B Vanderlip Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705Tel. 714.573.8888 Fax 714.573.4944www.blindkids.org


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Press Releases

BLIND CHILDRENS LEARNING CENTER18542-B Vanderlip Ave.Santa Ana, CA 92705Contact: Kathy BuehlerPhone: (714) 573-8888, ext. 102Email: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

50 YEARS OF HELPING HANDSThe Blind Childrens Learning Center Begins its 18-month Anniversary Celebration

SANTA ANA, Calif. (April 10, 2011)October 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the Blind Childrens Learning Center,

located in Santa Ana, Calif. The center (BCLC) has continually delivered independence to its students and furthered itsdevelopment as it continues to give back to the southern California community.

With this milestone approaching, BCLC plans on celebrating its anniversary with the tting theme of 50 years of HelpingHands. Rather than con ne the anniversary into one solitary month, BCLC plans to celebrate its anniversary over thecourse of 18 months, similar to that of Disneylands 50th anniversary. This theme will be integrated with a series of specialonsite events in addition to a dinner for all that have worked to develop and maintain the center.

Through the ongoing dedication of sta , volunteers, and donors, BCLC continues to teach blind children of all ages howto be independent despite visual impairment. As the rst and one of the only schools of its kind, BCLC has created variousprograms that teaches its students basic health and safety, general academic education, and works to bridge the gapbetween visually impaired children and their families, beginning in infancy. With special guests and programs such as the

re department and the monthly blindfolded lunch, BCLC students are provided with the knowledge and tools of how thereal world works and how they can function within it.

Sponsored by _____________, the Blind Childrens Learning Centers 50th Anniversary will be one-of-a-kind as it celebratesits 50 years of Helping Hands through all that have helped the center and its students grow and develop throughout theyears.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Kim Neuhauser, please call KathyBuehler at (714) 573-8888, ext. 102 or e-mail Kathy at [email protected].

###


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50th Anniversary Logos

These are the four logos that Mi Mai created for BCLCs 50th anniversary. We wanted tocombine BCLCs current usage of the color purple with the color gold to resonate with the factthat the 50th anniversary is commonly known as the golden anniversary.


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Social Media: Blogger

We created a Blogger for BCLC with the intention of having guest bloggers write for thecenter every month. Here, bloggers would write success stories from working with or being apart of BCLC, thus creating the emotional and personal appeal for our audiences.


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Social Media: Twitter

We used Twitter to connect with our audiences and engage in two-way communication.By talking with people via Twitter, we were able to establish relationships and obtain aloyal following of Twitter users that were working for the same cause. By the end of ourimplementation, @BlindChildrenLC obtained 65 followers.


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Social Media: Facebook

Prior to our input, BCLC was very inactive on Facebook and did not have manypeople interacting on the page. We linked Facebook and Twitter together to updatesimultaneously, and this increased the number of fans on Facebook, as well as increasedparticipation on the page. We also incorporated an updated logo onto the page, as wellas xed the information section.


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Appendix


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Research & BibliographiesWhitney Finn

Secondary Research: The CenterIn the early 1960s, faced with minimal transportation and no support for their disability, six blind adults founded

Services for the Blind. Now known as the Blind Childrens Learning Center, these founders felt the needs of the visuallyimpaired and learned that the key to living as a successful life without vision is to start at a young age. In addition tobeginning young, they knew the necessity to continue the support during the school years was crucial. And so, the BCLCdeveloped a comprehensive, alternative program allowing children to not only thrive blind, but enter the mainstreamschools and world around them.

The Mission of Blind Childrens Learning Center is to provide early intervention, education and services for blind,visually impaired and deaf/blind infants and youth and their families to allow access to education in preparation to leadindependent lives. The organization is the only one of its kind in Southern California that addresses the needs of the blind,visually impaired and children with multiple disabilities from birth through high school. The centers educators are expertsin their focus areas o ering a number of resourceful skills such as occupational therapy, counsellors, technicians, nursesand para-educators.

The track toward independence begins with Infant Family Focus, an in-home service allowing parents to be partof the crucial developmental days. As six months, the child may begin attending the Early Childhood Center, located inNorth Tustin. The 4-acre campus provides an environment to develop independence until the age of ve. At this location,the blind children grow and learn with sighted children, creating a close bond and loving relationship between the two.After graduation from this stage, blind children can usually enter a public kindergarten program with maintained supportfrom the BCLC. The Youth Outreach program leads students through their public school experience by providing mobilitytraining, vision instruction and braille instruction. Outreach also provides after school programs that o er mentoring,tutoring, daily living skills and peer buddies.

With the help of these core programs, many children have learned to walk, talk and thrive after having been givena grim diagnosis of an unproductive life. The BCLC stimulates childrens natural desire to learn and explore leading them toa life of independence, not much di erent than any other.

Bibliography (APA format)

Feb. 12, 2011. BCLC History. Retrieved from http://blindkids.org/history.html.

Feb. 12, 2011. Programs & Services. Retrieved from http://blindkids.org/programs.html.

Secondary Research


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Kristin Soo Hoo

Secondary Research: Visual Impairment & Blind Children

2008 Prevalence Rates of Visual Loss (California)Prepared March 2010Total 723,231Gender

Male 321,531Female 401,700

AgeUnder 5 8,6525-17 47,74218-64 355,62665-74 93,08775 and older 218,124

De nition and scope: The term vision loss refers to individuals who reported to have serious di culty seeing even whenwearing glasses as well as those that are blind.Data source: 2008 American CommunitySurvey. www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/SQuest/QbyQfact/disability.pdf

http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=15&TopicID=384&DocumentID=5141---

The eye is made up of many di erent parts, such as the cornea, iris, lens, and retina, which all work together to focus onlight and images. The eyes then use special nerves to send what is seen to the brain, so the brain can process and recognizewhat is being seen. In eyes that work correctly, this process happens almost instantly. However, when this doesnt work theway it should, a person may be visually impaired or blind. The problem may a ect one eye or both eyes. When you thinkof being blind, you might imagine total darkness. But some people who are blind can still see a little light or shadows. They

just cant see things clearly. People who have some sight but still need a lot of help are sometimes called legally blind.

Vision problems can develop before a baby is born. Sometimes, parts of the eyes dont form the way they should. A childseyes might look ne, but the brain has trouble processing the information they send. The optic nerve sends pictures to thebrain, so if the nerve doesnt form correctly, the babys brain wont receive the messages needed for sight. Blindness canbe genetic or inherited. On the other hand, blindness can also be caused by an accident if something hurts the eye. Someillnesses, such as diabetes, can damage a persons vision over time as well. Other eye diseases, such as cataracts, can causevision problems or blindness, but they usually a ect older people.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/sight/visual_impaired.html#---

The human eye is like a camera that collects, focuses, and transmits light through a lens to create an image of itssurroundings. In a camera, the image is created on lm or an image sensor. In the eye, the image is created on the retina,a thin layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Like a camera, the human eye controls the amount of light thatenters the eye. The iris (the colored circular part of the eye) controls the amount of light passing through the pupil. Itcloses up the pupil in bright light and opens it wider in dim light. The cornea is the transparent, protective surface of theeye. It helps focus light, as does the lens, which sits just behind the iris. When light enters the eye, the retina changes thelight into nerve signals. The retina then sends these signals along the optic nerve (a cable of more than 1,000,000 nerve

bers) to the brain. Without a retina or optic nerve, the eye cant communicate with the brain, making vision impossible.

Secondary Research


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The American Foundation for the Blind estimates that 10 million people in the United States are visually impaired. Visualimpairment is a term experts use to describe any kind of vision loss, whether its someone who cannot see at all or someone

who has partial vision loss. Some people are completely blind, but many others have whats called legal blindness. Theyhavent lost their sight completely but have lost enough vision that theyd have to stand 20 feet from an object to see it aswell as someone with perfect vision could from 200 feet away.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in examining, diagnosing, and treating eyes and eye diseases. Duringa visual acuity test, the patient reads an eye chart to measure how well he or she sees at various distances. Ophthalmologistsuse the visual eld test to measure side, or peripheral, vision. Also, the tonometry test determines the uid pressure insidethe eye to evaluate for glaucoma. If the doctor determines that the patient has an eye condition that is likely to causevisual impairment, many treatments are available. Options may include eyeglasses, contact lenses, and eye drops or othermedicines. In some cases, surgery may be required. For instance, cataracts are often treated by removing the clouded lensand replacing it with an intraocular lens (an arti cial plastic lens that requires no special care and restores vision).

Other methods can compensate for vision loss. Guide dogs can help people get from place to place independently. Brailleallows those with visual impairment to read and write. Special equipment such as microscopic and telescopic glasses andvoice-recognition software can make school and homework easier.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/visual_impairment.html#---

The terms partially sighted, low vision, legally blind, and totally blind are used in the educational context to describestudents with visual impairments. Partially sighted indicates some type of visual problem has resulted in a need for special education; Low vision generally refers to a severe visual impairment, not necessarily limited to distance vision. Low visionapplies to all individuals with sight who are unable to read the newspaper at a normal viewing distance, even with the aidof eyeglasses or contact lenses. They use a combination of vision and other senses to learn, although they may requireadaptations in lighting or the size of print, and sometimes Braille;

Legally blind indicates that a person has less than 20/200 vision in the better eye or a very limited eld of vision(20 degrees at its widest point); and Totally blind students learn via Braille or other non-visual media.

Rather than the eye disorder itself, visual impairment is the consequence of a functional loss of vision. Some of the eyedisorders that can lead to visual impairments include: retinal degeneration, albinism, cataracts, glaucoma, muscularproblems that result in visual disturbances, corneal disorders, diabetic retinopathy, congenital disorders, and infection.Visual impairments occur in individuals under the age of 18 at the rate of 12.2 per 1,000. Severe visual impairments (legallyor totally blind) occur at a rate of .06 per 1,000.

The e ect of visual problems on a childs development depends on the severity, type of loss, age at which the conditionappears, and overall functioning level of the child. Many children who have multiple disabilities may also have visualimpairments resulting in motor, cognitive, and/or social developmental delays.

A young child with visual impairments has little reason to explore interesting objects in the environment and, thus, maymiss opportunities to have experiences and to learn about the world. This lack of exploration may continue until the childis somehow motivated to learn or until intervention begins. Also, he or she may not be able to imitate social behavioror understand nonverbal cues because the child cannot see parents or peers. Furthermore, visual handicaps may createobstacles to a growing childs independence.

Children with visual impairments should be assessed early to bene t from early intervention programs, when applicable.Technology in the form of computers and low-vision optical and video aids enable many partially sighted, low vision andblind children to participate in regular class activities. In addition, large print materials, books on tape, and Braille booksare available.

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Students with visual impairments may need additional help with special equipment and modi cations in the regularcurriculum to emphasize listening skills, communication, orientation and mobility, vocation/career options, and daily

living skills. Students with low vision or those who are legally blind may need help in using their residual vision moree ciently and in working with special aids and materials. Students who have visual impairments combined with othertypes of disabilities have a greater need for an interdisciplinary approach and may require greater emphasis on self careand daily living skills.

http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Speci c/Pages/VisualImpairment.aspx---

In low-income countries with high under-5 mortality rates, the prevalence may be as high as 1.5 per 1000 children, whilein high-income countries with low under-5 mortality rates, the prevalence is around 0.3 per 1000 children (Gilbert CE etal. Prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in children -- a review of available data. Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 1999,6: 73-81). Thus, the number of blind children in the world is estimated to be 1.4 million (Preventing blindness in children:report of a WHO/IAPB scienti c meeting. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2000 (unpublished document VVHO/ PBL/00.77). Approximately three-quarters of the worlds blind children live in the poorest regions of Africa and Asia, wherethe prevalence is high, and the child population large.

A study of children in schools for the blind in the United States of America revealed that 19% of 2553 children werecortically blind, and 12% had visual loss from optic atrophy or optic nerve hypoplasia (Steinkuller PG et al. Childhoodblindness. Journal of Aapos, 1999, 3: 26-32).

Throughout the world, important causes of blindness are cataract, retinal diseases (mainly hereditary retinal dystrophies),and congenital abnormalities a ecting the whole eye. Genetic diseases are also an important cause worldwide, as suggestedby the patterns of disease by underlying etiology.

Gilbert, Clare, and Allen Foster. Childhood blindness in the context of VISION 2020 -- The Right to Sight. Bulletin of theWorld Health Organization 79.3 (2001): 227. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.

Pediatric Eye Disorders

Amblyopia is a disorder that begins in childhood in which the eyes are unable to coordinate their alignment or tomaintain parallel focus.

o Since infection, injury, or other illness is usually not present, the disorder is said to be mechanical (related to astructural mechanism), rather than pathological (related to a disease process).

o Amblyopia causes con icting signals to be transmitted from the optic nerve to the brain. Unable to make senseof them, the brain begins to pay selective attention to visual messages from the dominant eye.

o A key symptom is reduced depth perception. Because the eyes are operating independently of one another, thebrain has trouble fusing the visual impressions it receives from each eye into a single three-dimensional image.

o About 2% to 5% of children have amblyopia. The condition seems to have a genetic component, since it tendsto run in families. Infants born prematurely are more likely to develop the disorder. The condition is more common among

children with developmental delays, but its unclear whether the two simply tend to occur in tandem or whether theamblyopia actually causes learning di culties that lead to developmental delays.o People with severe amblyopia who do not receive treatment before age 17 may have irreversible blindness or low

vision in the a ected eye.

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Strabismus, also known as crossed or turned eye, is the medical term used when the two eyes are not straight. Itoccurs in approximately 2 to 4 percent of the population.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a disease of the retina a ecting prematurely born babies.o In neonates in whom retinal vascularization is incomplete, it results from an abnormal proliferation of developing

retinal blood vessels due to lack of oxygen. A congenital cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) of the lens of the eye that is present at, or develops shortly after,

birth.o The human lens, located behind the pupil, focuses light onto the retina, allowing a clear image to be formed. A

cataract blocks or distorts the image that would normally reach the retina. During the rst ve to seven years of life, aclear image is required in order for the connections between the eye and the brain to develop normally. Thus, a congenitalcataract causes the immature visual system to be deprived of the stimulation needed for normal development. Unlike inadults, if left untreated, permanent visual loss may occur.

o Symptoms: Clouding of the lens, often evident at birth without special viewing equipment and appearing as a whitish

discoloration in an otherwise normally dark pupil Failure of an infant to show visual awareness of the world around him or her (particularly when present

in both eyes) Nystagmus (unusually rapid spontaneous eye movements) No symptoms may be present if the cataract occurs only on one side or is not severe. This can often be

overlooked without a proper eye examination and does not mean that treatment is not required Stargardts disease is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration. It is characterized

by a reduction of central vision with a preservation of peripheral (side) vision.o It is usually diagnosed in individuals under the age of 20 when decreased central vision is rst noticed. On

examination, the retina of an a ected individual shows a macular lesion surrounded by yellow-white ecks, or spots, withirregular shapes. The retina consists of layers of light-sensing cells that line the inner back wall of the eye and are importantin normal vision. The macula is found in the center of the retina and is responsible for the ne, detailed central vision usedin reading and color vision.

o Mutations in the ABCR gene, which cause Stargardts disease, produce a dysfunctional protein that cannotperform its transport function. As a result, photoreceptor cells degenerate and vision loss occurs.o The progression of visual loss is variable. One study of 95 individuals with Stargardts disease showed that once a

visual acuity of 20/40 was reached, there was often rapid progression of additional visual loss until acuity was reduced to20/200 (legal blindness). By age 50, approximately 50 percent of all those studied had visual acuities of 20/200 or worse.Eventually, almost all individuals with Stargardts disease are expected to have visual acuities in the range of 20/200 to20/400. The reduced visual acuity due to Stargardts disease cannot be corrected with prescription eyeglasses or contactlenses. In late stages of the disease, there may also be noticeable impairment of color vision.

http://www.lighthouse.org/about-low-vision-blindness/childrens-vision/pediatric-eye-disorders/ Areas to Consider: Cognition: Object concepts

o The child is initially limited to objects within reach

o Child may randomly encounter objects and peopleo Objects may appear in fragmented formo To gain a full gestalt, extra time is needed

Object Permanency:o Visual prerequisites may be di cult or impossibleo Sound localization may be demonstrated di erentlyChild rst has to realize a certain object is making the soundo Ear/hand coordination does not develop until late in the rst year

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Cause and E ect:o The visual reward of most toys may not be appreciated

o Results of other actions may both be as stimulating to other senseso Toys should be evaluated as to their tactual value to learning

Means-End:o Visual imitation/incidental learner may not be a viable learning avenue

Spatial Relations:o Objects cannot be visually compared or observed if they change position or are lost from immediate graspo Spatial relations is tied to a consistent environment

Concept Development:o Child must be actively taught conceptual terms through direct manipulations of his or her body and objects to

avoid meaningless language and splinter skills Communication:

o Non-verbal communication may be di cult to decipher (e.g., changes in facial expressions body language, etc.)o Delay in language acquisition is often due to lack of experience and stereotypical modeling.o The link of language to meaningful experience is critical.o Receptive language usually higher than expressive.o Children tend to have fewer expressive communication strategies (as modeled by adults).o Misuse of pronouns (e.g., substitution of you for I) is common. Children often imitate large sections of speech

in an echolalic fashion. It is important to validate the function of the echolalia.o Focus is often on self as a topic.

Gross Motor Development:o Sequence of milestone development appears generally the same as with sighted children. It is important, however,

not to value milestone sequence as an absolute.o Static postural indicators typically occur at approximately the same time as with sighted children (sits alone,

pushes into a four-point position, stands supported) while self initiations movement milestones may be delayed such asrolling, crawling, and walking.

o Generalized hypotonia (speci c to trunk) may be evidenced.o Poor trunk rotation is often seen, as are xed/abnormal movement patterns.o Delayed or immature equilibrium responses and protective responses may be seen.o Quality of movement may be compromised.o Children who are blind will not usually move out into space until after they have reached to a sound source.o Early (therapeutic) handling and vestibular stimulation are necessary for both quality of movement and

attainment of milestones. Fine Motor:

o Mouth remains a primary sensory organ for a longer period.o Generalized upper extremity weakness may be seen.o Sequence of prehension skills may have unique order.

Social-Emotional Development:o Human attachment (bonding) may be more di cult to establish due to delay in interpretation of the babys

communication signals.o Child more dependent upon caregiver to introduce world to him or her.o Imitative play has been shown to be delayed. It appears to develop near the time the child can separate him or

herself from others.

Anthony, Tanni. A UNIQUE DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERN: The Young Child with Blindness/Visual Impairment BlindChildrens Fund. .

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Mi Mai

Blind Childrens Center20 Marathon Street | Los Angeles, California 90029

http://www.blindchildrenscenter.org/ AboutThis center was founded in 1938 as a project from the Southern CaliforniaDelta gammas and operates with neither state nor federal assistance. Theyserve over 100 children, primarily from the Los Angeles area each year,with programs ranging from infant preschool up to second grade. In 2006,they established a Kindergarten Program in response to the overwhelmingrequest of families who didnt particularly favor the public school systemand has been serving infants up to 7-year olds since.FactsThe Center is a full inclusion program 2009/2010: 25% of the children were totally blind 27% were partially sighted 48% were sighted (often siblings of the visually impaired students)The client population re ects the diversity of Los Angeles: Latinos 66% Caucasian 22% African American 8% Asian 4%

Making the Sensational Happen: One touch, one sound, one experience ata time.The center is enacting their Making the Sensational Happen campaignwhich is primarily aimed at acquisition of funding for new buildings

and equipment for the children. Theyve been promoting the campaign as well as the center through Facebook http:// www.facebook.com/blindchildrenscenter as well as through their YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/ BlindChildrensCenter#p/u. The center is also utilizing the non-pro t review website to enhance their credibility and showsome testimonies from parents http://greatnonpro ts.org/reviews/blind-childrens-center/

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Mi MaiBCLC ReviewAfter a recent visit to the Blind Childrens Learning Center, one word lingered in my mind precious. BCLC proved to be anendearing organization whose mission is to develop strength and empowerment amongst visually impaired children throughcreative methods of teaching within an environment full of compassion and understanding. Their expertise and attention toevery little detail is incredible the classrooms are well-catered to the children, providing an array of activities and toys to enhancetheir learning experience. However, the facility has a lot of history and time has worn it out. Despite the serenity of the location,the buildings could use some renovation, just as their collateral materials and website in particular to renew and revitalize theorganization. On a positive note, the care and consideration put into helping the children by BCLCs sta is impeccable andtruly an inspiration. They are there to provide care for all aspects of the childrens wellbeing rather than just the visual andcontinuously seek innovative ways to help improve a childs life.

BCLC Primary Research Field Trip (Kristin Soo Hoo)Amanda, Mi, and I visited the Blind Childrens Learning Center on Tuesday, February 15, 2011. Kim Neuhauser, the president andexecutive director, led a tour of the facilities. Although the facilities are relatively small, they provide a safe, enjoyable environmentthat encourages children to be independent learners. BCLC accommodates the special needs of its students, especially with

several on-site specialists for counseling, speech, occupational therapy, and ophthalmology. Its Early Childhood Center has eightclassrooms and a small playground for infants and children from the age of six months to three years. Children three to six yearsold have a di erent set of classrooms and a larger playground as well. BCLC classrooms and playgrounds resemble those of otherpreschools, except they incorporate more sensory elements. For instance, cubbies are labeled with materials made of di erenttextures that correspond to each student, instead of nametags. This way, students can feel the material to recognize which cubbybelongs to which student. Also, the equipment in the playgrounds and occupational therapy rooms helps children develop theirother senses because vision is limited. Furthermore, the directors and teachers are friendly and incredibly passionate about theirwork. We could tell that they are dedicated to helping visually impaired children learn to function on their own in the real world.

Allegra BatistaOn Friday March 4, 2011 Whitney and I met with Kim, Kathy, and Heather at the Blind Childrens Learning Center. We began byasking them why they wanted to partner with Chapman ImPRessions and what they hoped to get out of the overall experience.They told us that they were really eager to learn more about the many new opportunities that technology has to o er and to gaina great sense of objectivity. Whitney and I then explained why we wanted to get involved and that we hoped to learn throughoutthis process as well. Once introductions were through, we discussed sending out surveys and the 50th Anniversary Celebration. Our main focus going into the meeting was to clear up any questions that they BCLC has regarding the surveys we wanted to sendout. They had been thinking that our survey would be used to ask for donations instead of collecting useful information pertainingto how to best reach people. Realizing that because so much gets misinterpreted through emails, Whitney and I thought abouthaving someone or a pair of people meeting with Kim, Kathy, and Heather at least one a week or twice a month to clear upconfusion and increase productivity. After explaining the actual intention of the survey and how valuable it would be to increasee ective communication with our target audiences, we explained how we would administer it through SurveyMonkey.com. Kimwas really excited with the website and our overall plan. Together the BCLC and ImPRessions reconstructed the questions forthe survey and compiled a list of people to target with it. I agreed to write a paragraph to accompany the survey while Whitneyagreed to x the survey and email everything back to them by that afternoon so that they could send out.

In addition to the survey Kim told us that the Board of Directors had decided that the 50th Anniversary Celebration would be aGala and more celebration based versus fundraising. She also told us that they wanted to to lots of fun on-site activities for thechildren. (great opportunities to involve the media and get coverage) After the meeting Whitney and I felt really inspired. We had nally had a chance to put faces to the names we had been hearing,see the site, and get a greater perspective of the overall organization. We were successful in clearing up misunderstandingsregarding our survey and research and found out more about the 50th Celebration.

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Whitney Finn

Primary Research - Survey Summary

After surveying approximately 115 people a liated with the Blind Childrens Learning Center, it seems that mostof the centers contacts are internal. The most results were returned by current sta members and regular volunteers,while donors turned out a large sum of responses as well. Those who responded to the survey tended to donate for reasonsrelated to the centers valuable programs and children in need. Another common reason for a liation was rst handexperience with a visually impaired child or other relative with sight issues. Overall knowledge of the centers programsis fairly high, with an average of 84% of those surveyed aware of BCLCs most key programs including Infant FamilyFocus, Early Childhood Center and Outreach. The organizations weakest area of program awareness is seen in its alumnirelations and events, which presents an opportunity. To allow the development of a contact list and discover the mostideal way to keep in touch with internal and external supporters, it was surprising to see that very few prefer to use socialmedia as a form of communication, preferring e-mail. Ironically, about 57% are Facebook users, however very few useTwitter or blogging. In an e ort to gain further information directed at the centers 50th anniversary celebration, manysurvey responses prefer an on-campus event including children and alumni rather than a formal event or workshop. To getinvolved, survey responses show a large interest in attending, but also sponsoring events for the anniversary. Volunteerismthrough planning, material distribution and awareness building are also popular.

Ultimately, it seems that using social media will be a di cult task considering how few BCLC a liated appreciatethe form of communication, however additional external contacts may prove to be more keen to the idea. While awarenessin this group is somewhat strong, a group less involved with the center will likely show signs of much less awareness,proving the necessity of community outreach and brand awareness. This will allow the 50th anniversary to be much moresuccessful in its celebration, but also in meeting its objectives of attracting audiences not previously involved.

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2. If you donate, what in uenced you to supportthe Blind Childrens Learning Center? (answeredquestion: 25; skipped question: 20) Quality programming Bene ts that my child received while she at-tended The unique programs o ered MY SIGHT PROBLEMS AS A CHILD AND EVENNOW I donate for speci c needs or events such as thewalk a thon. It was all about the kids. Seeing the sight im-paired children learning so much from the tal -ented people at the school. I have a soft spot forthe kids The wonderful work done by teachers, sta , andall who help all the children To help support our programs Parent of student. Volunteer time and board member The sweet kids Providing quality materials/program at BCLC. Children My child attended BCLC. BCLC provides direct services to children withspecial needs I think its a great cause and the donations godirectly to the services for the children Believe in what we do. The children My visually impaired kids go/went there.

Compassion for the children Need The cause Service they provided to family and friends Classroom volunteersee the need. I believe an individual should nancially support a nonpro t where they are employed.

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3. How did you become interested in the Blind Childrens Learning Center? (Answered question: 35; skipped question: 10) My daughter attends BCLC Sta Regional Center referred my child there Originally started really getting into the school after Mary Porcella worked with my son for occupational therapy I became interested with the center due to my interest in helping students with visual impairments and because I feelit is crucial for children with visual impairments to have a descent education and teachers and people who support them.I also found out that I was also a previous alumni for only a short term but I feel now that I am able to give back I knowthese students will get the love and suppor they need from the services we provide. [sic] Through a eld trip from St. Cecilia School in Tustin. THRU MY WIFE AND THE COOKING WITH VISSION CLASSES I heard about BCLC from the Braille Institute in Buena Park and decided to volunteer. Jeri Konopisos got me involved and introduced me to Kim who really impressed me with her energy and support for theschool. She understood the vision and was able to explain it in such a way that you could not say no My granddaughter goes to Blind Childrens Learning Center and I have always had an open heart and open mind toones who are so gifted. Looking for a positive yet important place for my daughter and I to volunteer. I like it that we are needed. I have been associated with the center for 15 years Parent of student. Former Board chairman, Jack Butler I found it on the Volunteer Center of the Orange County website. Looking for a job in the eld Job post Started working in 1994-1995. Returned to work in 2006. Looking for a job and temp/part time position became available Past volunteer through a Board Member Received services from BCLC, funded by the Regional Center of OC.

Through a friend who recruited me to work here. I knew someone who worked there Got a job there Through advertisement and colleagues. Work My profession. I am a Teacher of Visually Impaired. See #2 Parent of a Blind Child Blind and VI students Volunteering Referral A teacher with BCLC 35 years ago. I began volunteering here (on Broadway) 25 years ago after school. Hired when I graduated from High School

Job opening

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[Conducted on SurveyMonkey through email distributions]

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2. Please provide feedback as to your decision, as well as your thoughts on the other options

Although 50 years of helping hands implies volunteerism, people are self-serving and are interested in phrases that praise or address them.4/11/11 12:33AM View ResponsesTaking the clients needs and wants into account I think that the third option is the most sensitive to the children in need while pointing towards thefuture. The rst option seems a little harsh as it is geared towards the BLIND children and it is asking them to SEE the future.4/8/11 3:15PM View ResponsesI dont like the word envision, it sounds weird, and it doesnt tell me anything about the BCLC. Our Vision is Their Success is ok, its much better thanthe third choice. 50 Years of Helping Hands tells me exactly what the BCLC does, that its been around for 50 years and the volunteers really do givehelping hands. I love it, its warming. The others dont do that at all. Plus, the envision a bright future one sounds degrading to the children.

4/8/11 11:54AM View ResponsesOur Vision is Their Success shows that the volunteers at BCLC are making a di erence for the blind children. Helping Hands shows guidance but noth-ing that represents the blind children. You Dont Have... is too long and wordy. Envision a Bright Future has an unclear audience.4/8/11 8:53AM View ResponsesEnvision a bright future: 1. extremely cliche, boring, everyone uses something like this 2. it does not communicate anything of value regarding theorganization 3. it can be perceived as o ensive 50 years of helping hands: 1. likeable 2. goes well with the logo of BCLC you dont have to see to imaginea bright future 1. wayy too long 2. can be percieved as o ensive our vision is their success 1. this implies that the kids dont work hard 2. again, this onecould be o ensive4/8/11 8:29AM View ResponsesSince the Center helps BLIND children, I feel that putting the words envision you dont have to see or vision in the theme doesnt make sense andis almost o ensive. I like the idea of hands since blind children rely so much on their hands as a supplement to not being able to see as well as further-ing the idea of helping hands that creates a community feel. Since you are also celebrating the 50th year, I think having 50 years in the theme wouldshare the message in the clearest way.4/8/11 7:55AM View Responses

Envision has a slightly negative connotation because it con icts with how blind children technically cant see. 50 Years of Helping Hands encom-passes the purpose of the anniversary celebration. You Dont Have to See to Imagine a Bright Future sounds nice but it may be too long for a tagline.

Our Vision is Their Success has a good ring to it but it doesnt directly celebrate BCLCs 50 years.4/8/11 7:18AM View ResponsesWhile I understand the purpose behind seeing the future in the theme, the way it is worded feels unnatural and borderline o ensive. I like the focus onhelping hands because it shows accomplishment and success.4/8/11 7:11AM View ResponsesI believe a theme or slogan relating to vision is potentially o ensive for BCLCs target audience.4/8/11 7:06AM View Responses50 years of helping hands is very heartwarming and inspiring to the community. the ones that involve seeing seem kind of insulting in a subtle way.some people may think its good, but others may see it as insulting...4/8/11 7:01AM View ResponsesWell, frankly I am o ended at the suggestion of associating the words see or vision or even Bright to a BLIND Childrens Learning center. I feel as if this is mocking the establishment and is completely inappropriate.


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3. Do you have any further suggestions regarding the 50th Anniversary theme?

Another great option for the theme would be the second option as it is really geared towards BCLCs 50th anniversary. Itis important for the client to understand that this theme is for this speci c PR plan and does not have to be applied to theentire operation from this point forward.4/8/11 3:15PM View Responsesnope, i love the 50 years of helping hands theme4/8/11 11:54AM View ResponsesI feel that the campaign should be based around celebrating the children as well as the centers success. The 50 year of Helping Hands slogan communicates this the best-- the children use their hands to learn and make progress, as othersand volunteers help them. Also: the 50 years directly communicates the point of the event and establishes credibilityfor the center: the fact it has been around so long SHOULD NOT focus on sight as the campaign driver4/8/11 8:29AM View ResponsesPerhaps incorporate helping hands into reaching toward the future or something that can combine the messages of thedi erent themes.4/8/11 7:11AM View Responsesmaybe something that involves helping hands and a bright future?4/8/11 7:01AM View Responses

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