Don Swaney (right) and his guide dog Louie present to an elementary school tour at the Lighthouse
In my fourth grade year at Laurelhurst Elementary, we took a field trip that changed my life. One sunny morning in Mrs. Dublin’s class, she announced that we would be going to The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. I thought this was an interesting choice, and was curious as to what it would be like.
Envisioning a lighthouse as a tall stone cylinder where I had to climb a ladder to reach the top, I had no idea what my experience would hold. When we got there, I was amazed that the Lighthouse was actually a manufacturing plant; I was in awe of everything going on there. The field trip was so inspirational and changed my view on people who are blind and DeafBlind, and I was so glad that I went. I was taken aback by how much they could accomplish, and at that point I realized how little I knew about blindness before my experience at the Lighthouse.
This was by far my favorite field trip at Laurelhurst Elementary and I will always remember it. Along with being extremely inspiring, my knowledge about people who are blind and DeafBlind grew immensely. My parents were amazed when I showed them American Sign Language and braille at the dinner table that night. Overall, the experience was phenomenal and I hope that every fourth grader can experience this as well.
Submitted by Lillian Ellis, Student at University Prep
*Editor’s note: Please contact Kelly Wakefield at kwakefield@seattlelh.org or (206) 436-2185 for more information about our School Tour Program or to sign-up for one of our 2015-2016 tours!*
