b'Growing Up in a Sighted WorldAt ten months old, Valerie was diag-nosedwithabraintumor,meaningthis tiny infant went through numer-ous doctors visits, chemotherapy, andbrain surgery. During the surgery, doc-tors mistakenly cut an optic nerve, andValerie would grow up legally blind. Then theres Nola, diagnosed withoptic nerve atrophy at five years old.Despite being strong-willed and deter-mined, many people shut Nola downwhen she started school. One teacherrepeatedly punished her for talking tootherswhenNolacouldntreadtheboard. She was asking for help fromherclassmates.Anotherteacherlabeled Nola a cheater because she Nola and her guide dog and best friend Breezy.needed special accommodations to seeassignmentsgotthemlate,then the help they needed throughout these started asking for a guide dog. It beganknewtheanswersbecauseshes challenges.Nolasmother,Cheryl, withapuppy-huggingfieldtriptosmart.Andaphysicaleducation taughtherdaughterthevalueof Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto,teacher had Nola sit on the sidelines to speakingupandtheimportanceof Florida.ItcontinuedwhenValeriekeep score, only to ridicule her for not advocating for herself. Cheryl encour- met young Millie at Camp Sunshinein Maine. Millie had the same kind ofbraintumorasValerie,andValerieheard about Millies dog Miracles, aKids Companion dog and a gift fromSoutheasternGuideDogs.Celeste,who had a fear of dogs, always told herdaughter, No. The last straw camewhenCelesteand Valerieranintoagroupofinstructorsworkingwithguide-dogs-to-beatthemall.Afterspeaking with the instructors and withpressurefromValerie,CelestecalledSoutheastern Guide Dogs.The Camp ExperienceAfter that call, Celeste learned abouta new Guide Dog Camp for visuallyimpairedteensandtheirparents.This no-cost, two-day, overnight expe-Millie and her guide dog Miracles. rienceteachesteensaboutworkingwithaguidedoginharness,dogcuesandskills,handling,care,knowingthegamesscorewhenshe aged Nola to explore her interests, and and more. Parents also become morecouldnt see what was happening.slowly, Nola found her voice.knowledgeableandequippedtoIdidntevenknowwhatgame Much like Cheryl, Valeries mom, supporttheirchildsdecisiontothey were playing, Nola recalls. Celeste, became her chief advocate. As apply for a guide dog. Despite beingBothmotherstriedtheirbestto Valerie matured, she learned to advo- afraidofdogs,Celestereluctantlysupporttheirchildrenandgetthem cateforherself,andthatswhenshe signed up. 18 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'