Established in 2000 by the professional and rehabilitation staff of the Keystone Blind Association, the Keystone Kids program was developed to be a year-round community based instruction and recreation program for children with visual disabilities. The goal of this program is to encourage blind children and those who are severely visually impaired to develop new skills and participate in activities that will enhance their learning processes and enable them to become successful and independent adults in a sighted world.
The mission of the classes, functions and field trips offered by Keystone Blind Association through the Keystone Kids program is three-fold; to assist and provide blind and severely visually impaired children with the proper personal tools for life skills, social skills, and recreation. We do this by offering formal life skills classes in independent living (grooming, bedroom cleaning, cooking), instruction in the most current assistive technology, day-long learning and recreational seminars (arts classes, bowling, hiking), extended independence building field trips (Disney Youth Education Series — 2005 & 2010 and a Toronto/Niagara trip in 2008), and finally, through transition programs to help facilitate a successful transition from high school to college or adult employment.
Growing up with vision loss can be a challenging and isolating experience for a child. Through KBA and the Keystone Kids; the work becomes play and the children develop deep friendships and a circle of support to last a lifetime.
