The Transition Program is year-round program with an intensive summer program designed to help young persons 14-20 years transition successfully and confidently into their future college or employment, family, and all that adulthood brings. This program focuses on building self-confidence and self-esteem. Participants discover skills, interests and careers that fit them and learn how to get and keep a job. Real-life job experience, through job shadowing, volunteering, or a paid work experience are also available. The opportunity to work on improving travel skills, orientation and mobility and independent living skills needed to live and work independently. Enjoy recreational activities that build confidence, social skills and are just plain FUN!

For more information or to request an application for the Transition Program, contact Tatiana Palma, Assistant Director of Rehabilitation Services (For information about The Shimmy Club, please visit www.theshimmyclub.org).

Little Lighthouse

The Little Lighthouse program was established to give children beginning at birth an opportunity to begin discovering our world as the sighted population does.

The Lighthouse believes that education and training is never ending and the earlier one can get started the better for the child and family. Life is always changing and we are here to provide you with support. Our focus is on the individual child, and progresses throughout adulthood.

For more information please contact Children’s Services.

The STAR (Summer Training And Recreation) Program – Children Ages 5-13

This program provides a fun learning environment where children can sharpen their blindness skills, learn computers, and enjoy recreational activities such as swimming, ice skating, and crafts.

The STAR program has been divided into two age groups:

STAR I for ages 5 to 9
STAR II for ages 10-13

For 2008 summer program dates and information, click here.

Family Support Days

These specially planned events provide fun and informative activities for our children and their families and caregivers. Families and caregivers are educated on issues concerning their children who are blind or visually impaired and advised of community resources. Social activities are also planned to involve all family members.

Summer Activities

STAR and Transition summer campers had a busy summer!

STAR kids enjoyed many outings, like horseback riding, courtesy of Harvey and Ellen Amster, where the children got to touch, and ride the horses. Each of them also received a horseshoe from the blacksmith. It was a very exciting day. The kids also made trips to the local pool…

In addition, the kids enjoy music time, arts and crafts, games, and reading on a daily basis, all of which help to better their motor skills and social awareness.

The kids also loved their trips to the Miami Children’s Museum, the animal farm, the beach, the movies, and many more exciting places!

Transition students were out and about as well. They had a great time at places like the Dadeland Mall, the bowling alley, Oleta State Park, kayaking, golfing, and Tango dance lessons. The dance lessons happen 3 times, weekly and will continue throughout the year. Tatiana Palma, a transition instructor commented that “it is so amazing to watch their confidence and dancing skills grow. They are really enjoying it.”

Tango gives the kids the opportunity to work in close proximity to their dancing partner, where it is necessary to be mindful of one’s own movement as well as his or her partners, and move together. They are learning to feel the rhythm of the music and are also gaining better kinesthetic coordination. The wonderful instructors from the Shimmy Club help to make this a great experience.

Transition students have also been busy in the music studio, working on creating beats and R&B songs that they perform for the Lighthouse staff and clients at events like special lunches and the talent show.

Both transition and STAR students participated in the talent show, where they displayed singing, rapping, dancing, and even joke telling! It was a great exhibition of the talented people we have learning and growing at the Lighthouse.