CANEtucky Competition for Students with Blindness/Low Vision

By: Ashley Emmons, COMS, IECE, TVI

On Friday, October 25th I had the opportunity to volunteer at the 2nd annual CANEtucky event held at The University of Kentucky and hosted by the UK College of Education Visual Impairment Program. What is CANEtucky? CANEtucky is a specifically designed competition for students 12 years and up with blindness/low vision to show off and demonstrate their Orientation and Mobility (O&M) travel and cane skills. The event was sponsored by the Lexington Lions Club and Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation.

Each registered student had a specific set of O&M-related skills that were assessed based on their individual skill level. Some of these skills included human guide technique, ascending and descending stairs with a cane, cane techniques such as diagonal technique and two-point touch technique, map reading skills, traveling outdoor routes, street crossings, and much more! Each participating student was paired with a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) to assess and rate their skills. I was beyond thrilled to be paired with former VIPS child, Brody Fromholdt. Throughout the day, Brody demonstrated many great skills and ended up taking home the 2nd place prize! Congratulations, Brody!

In addition to assessing travel and cane skills, the participants also had the opportunity to meet with and learn about guide dogs from Leader Dogs for the Blind, and explore a variety of technology with Kevin McCormack, Kentucky School for the Blinds Assistive Technology Consultant.