The moment a pupil receives a yearbook is one they will remember forever. They will be able to reflect on the past academic year and recall the exciting activities they participated in with their fellow students during this time.
Because of his visual impairment, student RJ Sampson has never had the opportunity to read or take pleasure in a yearbook.
However, this year the students and professors at the Colorado school decided to do something extra special for one of the graduating seniors.
RJ enjoys school very much but has never been able to enjoy his yearbooks because of his visual handicap fully.
RJ approached his instructor on the final day of his first year of school and said, “When are you going to make me a braille yearbook?”
His teacher, Leslie Thompson, felt it was a brilliant concept but didn’t think it was possible because yearbooks are already a significant commitment. Nevertheless, she felt it was a great idea.
Fast forward four years, and now he may fulfill that dream thanks to the efforts of his instructors.
Laurel Ainsworth, the yearbook’s editor-in-chief, admitted her anxiety the morning before the presentation by saying, “Yeah, I’m worried.”
“Nothing is wrong with my stomach, and the pain I’m experiencing is all in my imagination,” she said. She said, “I just hope that we covered everything so that they can look back in 20 years and think that we did it right.”
Even though Leslie, the vision team, and the yearbook committee put in over 1,500 hours of work on RJ’s unique yearbook, he was completely unaware of their efforts.
When RJ was given the book, he was overcome with emotion and responded by saying, “That means a lot to me.”
He said it was “absolutely incredible” that the staff and kids went out of their way to construct one for him.
