Children's Services
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symptoms of vision problems in children
The Transition Program
The Transition Program is a year-round program, including an intensive
summer camp component, that helps young people age 14-20 transition
successfully and confidently into their future. The program focuses on
building self-confidence and self-esteem, as kids discover their skills,
interests and career possibilities. Many participants receive real-life
job experience through job shadowing, volunteering, or paid work. We also
work on improving skills for travel, orientation and mobility and
independent living, and enjoy fun recreational activities that build
confidence and social skills.
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).
Children's Services
The Little Lighthouse Blind Babies program at Miami Lighthouse gives
blind and visually impaired babies and toddlers the opportunity to begin
discovering our world. Ordinarily more than 80 percent of early learning
is visual, so these children need special attention from birth onward.
Miami Lighthouse also provides a supportive and instructional environment
for moms and other caregivers.
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 to 13
Thanks to the support of the Batchelor Foundation, Miami Lighthouse now
offers year-round STAR programs on Saturdays. For more information please
contact
Children’s Services.
Family Support Days
These 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.
All of these special events were made possible through the help from our
wonderful volunteers.
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