At the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut held November 6, 1999 in Waterbury three academic scholarships and six personal advancement awards were presented to the following individuals.

Jennifer Barrow of Ridgefield won the Howard E. May Memorial Academic Scholarship for $3,000. She is a freshman at Boston College where she plans a double major in Hispanic Studies, and Education Special Needs. She is a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School where she achieved many honors and awards.

Michael Matis of Stratford won the Jonathan May Memorial Academic Scholarship for $1,500. He is a junior at the University of Maine at Machias in Machias, ME. He is majoring in Environmental Studies with a Concentration in Marine Ecosystems and a Minor in Biology. He has had a life-long interest in the ocean and the life it harbors.

Karen Quigley of Farmington won the Mary Main Memorial Academic Scholarship for $1,500. She is a sophomore at Saint Joseph College in West Hartford studying Special Education with the goal of teaching children with disabilities. She is planning to learn both Braille and Sign Language in order to further equip her for her career.

Donna Balaski of Waterbury, CT won the first of two Sally Prentice Memorial Personal Advancement Awards of $1,500. Donna has as her goal the design and operation of a low vision rehabilitation center. She is a prolific creator of resource guides for the blind and visually impaired and is seriously involved in desktop publishing. She will use this award to purchase a professional laser printer that is essential to her work.

Marina Eastham of Hartford, CT won the second Sally Prentice Memorial Personal Advancement Award of $1,500. Marina graduated from Trinity College in Hartford in June and is planning to go the Louisiana Center for the Blind this summer. In the fall of 2000 she plans to attend Northeastern University School of Law. She also would like to earn a Masters in Education for the Blind. She is currently serving on a legislative task force to improve Braille Literacy in Connecticut. She plans to use this award for tuition deposits at Northeastern and also to purchase a Braille Lite for law school.

Richard Corey of Naugatuck, CT won an NFBCT Personal Advancement Award of $1,000. He is a student at Western Connecticut State University and is engaged in the study of music. He is doing extremely well at WCSU and is a fine musician. The award will be used to obtain an updated musical keyboard.

Renata Di Pietro of Bloomfield, CT won an NFBCT Personal Advancement Award of $1,000. She is an accomplished performer in the field of opera. Her years of study have resulted in an event-filled schedule but the need for further study and training, with the resultant expense, has created a financial drain to which this award will be applied.

Joyce Kane of Stratford, CT won an NFBCT Personal Advancement Award of $1,000. She had a thriving medical transcription business until the loss of sight greatly hampered her ability to perform the work. She has ambitiously regrouped and has made use of adaptive technology that has enabled her to begin again. This award will help with further enhancements to her computer system.

Richard McGaffin of West Haven, CT won the final NFBCT Personal Advancement Award of $1,000. He is attending Data Institute in Milford, CT on a part-time basis. His goal is to get a good job in the computer field and he has demonstrated considerable aptitude in this field. The award will be used to upgrade his home-based computer system.

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