Lighthouse Guild

Here's the truth — high school is easier when you have people who get you. And when you're blind or have low vision, you've just got more on your plate than many of your peers.

Join Lighthouse Guild’s free virtual teen group! Connect with other teens from across the country who are blind or have low vision. Share experiences, make friends, get support, and talk about whatever’s on your mind, from school and friendships to independence and future goals.

Free. Online. Nationwide.

Spots are limited. Sign up now: https://bit.ly/3TmejUk

Meet Daria!

Daria runs our teen group, and we could not think of a better person for the job.

Why?

Daria has irl experience being a teen with vision loss. She was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at 17, along with 2 of her siblings.

Vision loss never stopped her from going after her dreams. She went to school for Psychology, Social Work, and Law. AND, her family runs an organization called Hope For Vision.

Daria runs an amazing Teen Group, and we want you to join! Call in and listen, talk, joke — it's your time. Nationwide and 100% free.

Teen Group starts in October. Space is limited. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/4h6Blrx

A lot of college students are already tackling their first exams. If you’re a student with vision loss, there’s probably more on your plate than just hitting the books, especially if this is your first year navigating college.

We got you. Here's where to start.

Meet Constance! ⭐

She grew up with us. At eight years old, she walked through our doors for the Young Explorer program — always full of imagination and ready to build something new.

She took drama classes, worked on art projects, and built lasting friendships. By the time she was a teenager, she'd found her people, her creativity, and her confidence in our Saturday Teen Program.

This summer, all of that groundwork led somewhere she never expected: an internship in the kitchen at the United Nations, through our Summer Pathways Program. She walked in unsure what to expect, and walked out having found a whole new passion.

Now a junior in high school with AP classes and college on the horizon, Constance is still figuring out exactly where she's headed — culinary arts, tech, media, maybe all three. But she's not in a rush.

"Take your time to find what truly makes you happy," she says.

We've watched her grow up. We can't wait to see where she goes next — and we're holding out hope she'll come back one day as a Tech Pals mentor, passing that same spirit on to the next generation. 💛

Read the full story here — including how she met her good friend, Lucy! https://bit.ly/4xQPNd9

Are you a high school student who's blind or has low vision? Your group chat just got bigger.

Join our Virtual Teen Group!

It's free, online, nationwide, and cameras optional. You decide what we talk about.

Grab your spot today: https://bit.ly/3TmejUk

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — National Guide Dog Month!  
 
Guide Dogs are service dogs trained for a very specific purpose. Scroll through the Guide to Guide Dogs to learn more. ⏩

What is a guide dog?! 
 
A guide dog is a service animal specially trained to help a person who is blind or has low vision in independent travel. 
 
(This is our CEO’s guide dog, Shadow, as a cute puppy.)

What does a guide dog do? They lead their handlers around obstacles, indicate stairs and street curbs, target doorways and useful landmarks, and much more! 
 
The handler holds a harness secured around the dog’s body with a handle that enables them to feel the dog’s movements and communication.

If you see a guide dog, DO: give the handler and guide dog space; keep your pet pup leashed and under control; address their handler directly, not their guide dog; and say to yourself, “wow, what a good dog.”

If you see a guide dog, DO NOT: touch, pet, or grab the dog’s harness; offer the dog food or treats (you can offer the handler treats, though); yell directions, honk your horn, or interrupt the guiding process; or offer toys – guide dogs get lots of time to play when they’re off the clock.

Happy National Guide Dog Month!

For over three decades, Meagan was a NYC elementary school teacher. She was the tech savvy one — the one who answered all her students' computer questions.

But when she began losing her vision later in life, the computers that once helped her solve problems began creating them.

Meagan joined Tech Pals, a program that pairs low-vision young adults with older adults experiencing vision loss. That's where she met Vinnie — a college student and assistive tech pro who is blind herself.

An important moment in their partnership was a surprising one for someone who’d been a teacher for over thirty years. Vinnie told Meagan, “You’re not going to remember this if you don’t take notes,” — something Meagan told her students for years.

Meagan and Vinnie worked together for a year and it's clear their bond is special. And this August, Vinnie graduated as a mentor.

Read more about Meagan and Vinnie here:

Vinnie & Meagan's Assistive Technology Story: Learning and Teaching Together - Lighthouse Guild After thirty-one years as a New York City schoolteacher, Meagan was used to being the one having all the answers. For decades, students and colleagues who attended…