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Millcreek Journal

Students experience winter exhibit through touch, taste and smell

Feb 03, 2021 10:36AM ● By Katy Whittingham

By Katy Whittingham | [email protected]

Students from the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, USDB, attended Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point in January and enjoyed a hands-on, sensory-filled tour through the exhibit. Blind students were able to touch many of the items on display to get the full experience. As their teachers say, “The students don’t focus on what they can’t see, they focus on all they can do.” The Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind’s motto is, “Our Vision has No Limits.” 

In addition to touring through the exhibits, they had the opportunity to enjoy the smells and tastes of s’mores by assembling and eating the sweet treats. Blindness is a spectrum, and many children vary in degrees from complete blindness to differing degrees of limited vision. Some students with a vision loss, but not total blindness, could enjoy some of the bright lights of the exhibit as well. 

USDB has worked hard to safely plan and execute activities, field trips, and events even during the pandemic that all students can enjoy even from home. There are three upcoming Academy programs being offered for the winter session starting Feb. 4, including a Short Term Cooking Academy for elementary age students. Utah students have priority selection with out of state students filling in remaining spots, and all programs are free for students with vision impairments. 

The Short Term Cooking Academy is designed to teach cooking skills in a fun and engaging way through synchronous and asynchronous learning. Students must have access to a kitchen and a device. Registration is required and spots are limited. For more information and upcoming programs contact Robbin Clark, Expanded Core Curriculum coordinator for USDB at [email protected]. Additional information and photographs to help keep up with all the activities at USDB can be found through their social media sites and at usdb.org