The Freedom Scientific Student of the Month program features K-12 students living in the U.S. who are blind or visually impaired and use Freedom Scientific technology to achieve educational goals. The Students of the Month for May 2022 are two sisters from Alabama, Ivy-Ann and Saffy, who are 13 and 12 years old.
Home-schooled by their mother, Ivy-Ann and Saffy both use the ONYX desktop video magnifier to read printed materials and complete schoolwork. They like the large screen because it enables them to see many words at once.
Their dad, Brian, expressed his gratitude for the ONYX, saying, “When we found out we had access to the ONYX, we were thrilled. We could see the benefit of what it would do for Ivy-Ann and Saffy.”
Their mom, Kelli, expresses the same sentiment. “I home school them and use a variety of tools to get things done,” she says. “The ONYX is a blessing. We’re grateful you make the tools you do. They have changed the girls’ lives, which changes our lives.”
Ivy-Ann also uses a RUBY handheld video magnifier to read printed materials. “I use it to read books when I need a smaller device,” she says.
In her spare time, Ivy-Ann enjoys writing fantasy novels, and she aspires to be a published author and illustrator. Saffy makes felt dolls and uses the ONYX to sew and thread needles.
Ivy-Ann and Saffy also enjoy making short animation videos. Each video is under a minute long and includes music and pictures they have drawn.
When asked what advice she has for other students, Ivy-Ann said, “Try your best to make it work and let other people help you so you can know what’s going on. It would be hard if I didn’t have access to the ONYX and RUBY. Regular magnifiers never blow anything up enough for performing certain tasks.”
Learn more about Ivy-Ann and Saffy in this short video.
Nominate a Student
Complete our nomination form to self-nominate or nominate a student. Visit the Freedom Scientific Student of the Month page for details.
Winners receive a $500 Amazon gift card and a computer from Computers for the Blind. Each computer comes with a one-year Home Annual license of JAWS or ZoomText, which is already installed. Learn more about their organization and partnership with Freedom Scientific on their order page.
Have questions? Send an email to training@vispero.com.