Page 101 - The Exceptional Harley Fetterman

THE EXCEPTIONAL HARLEY FETTERMAN

students don't have access to easily. She described an NFB network of
blind scientists, engineers, and computer programmers who could
guide Harley. Kim wanted Harley to know, without a doubt, that there
were ways to do anything he imagined for his future.

Harley's parents absolutely shared this philosophy. So, in July of
2012, on his first trip flying alone off to the Jernigan Institute in
Baltimore, Harley went to attend NFB Project Innovation. It was a
new science program for students ages 7-11 and 14-18 focused on
innovation in young students by allowing them to determine their own
course of study in the program. Unique features of the preprogram
involvement for ten weeks prior had utilized social media to network
with participants. Students were in contact with each other, scientists,
and members of the NFBJI to determine the direction and goals of
their project. The students showcased their work, which reflected their
own personal interests, at the Innovator's Expo.

The younger age group of twenty, called Junior Innovators,
participated at the NFB Jernigan Institute for three days interacting
with science professionals, blind mentors, and Senior Innovators.

Harley was part the older group of ten members called Senior
Innovators. The Senior Innovators attended NFBJI for four days.
They not only took part in the science agenda but also mentored and
modeled blindness skills for the younger group while creating exhibits
for the Innovator's Expo.
The groups also took part in a philosophy lesson about the
characteristics of successful blind people and about how to deal with
comments that sighted people frequently make to blind people. The
attendees practiced independence by hiking at a local park employing
advice from experienced hikers in the group about alternative
techniques that are helpful on the trail. This built confidence in the
less experienced while navigating trail obstacles.

The groups learned first-hand that STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics) tasks required creative problem
solving. Harley's group studied such issues as antimicrobial properties
of certain foods. The younger group learned about characteristics of
fingerprints by examining enlarged tactual images of their own
fingerprints.

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