Fall 2026 SSB Opportunities
Please contact your SSB counselor or Shane DeSantis at shane.desantis@state.mn.us if you have any questions or want to register for any of these opportunities.
Mississippi River Canoe Trip – Sunday, September 20
Register for the September 20 Mississippi River Trip.
Questions? Contact Shane at shane.desantis@state.mn.us or call 651-358-5205.
Tools for School Workshop
Please join us on Friday, October 23rd, for a day of panels on assistive technologies that support the future success of blind and visually impaired students! Students, parents, and educators are invited! Register online for the Tools for School workshop to secure your seat!
Saturday Independent Living Skills Lab
Happening on the second Saturday in October and continuing monthly through May. Classes will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and are designed to help you build everyday skills that support confidence and independence. 2026–2027 Schedule:
- October 10, 2026 – Clothing, Laundry, and Personal Hygiene: Keeping It Clean!
- November 14, 2026 – Cold Meal Preparation: Let’s Make Lunch Together!
- December 12, 2026 – Hot Meal Preparation: Let’s Heat Things Up!
- January 9, 2027 – Dining Etiquette: Let’s Talk Table Manners!
- February 13, 2027 – Cleaning Techniques: Clean with Confidence!
- March 13, 2027 – Using Technology in the Kitchen and Home: Let’s Get Tech-Savvy!
- April 10, 2027 – Medication Management and Minor Injury First Aid: Let’s Stay Safe and Prepared!
- May 8, 2027 – Navigating a Grocery Store: Let’s Go Find It!
If you’re interested in joining these sessions, please reach out to kia.sadler@state.mn.us to sign up. We’re looking forward to creating a fun, supportive space to learn, grow, and build useful skills together.
Duluth Lighthouse: 2026–2027 School-Year Program
The Lighthouse Center for Vital Living in Duluth offers a school-year program from October to June, featuring a blend of in-person weekend camps and weekly remote group sessions.
Program details for 2026–2027 is available at: School-Year Program
College planning and application help drop-in
October is College Knowledge Month in Minnesota, and to celebrate, Minnesota State colleges and universities are waiving undergraduate application fees for the entire month, and there are no essays required for applications. Stop by the SSB office in St. Paul on October 5th or November 2nd from 5 to 7 PM for assistance with college applications or any other college.
Learn Earn and Prosper (LEAP)
Fall Virtual Programs: October 12 - November 20, 2026; via Zoom
- Narrative Writers: Paid work-based learning opportunity with a focus on communications. Through research, interviews, and peer collaboration, participants will develop narratives and practice transferable workplace writing skills.
- My Voice, My Future: Unpaid self-advocacy workshops with a focus on peer connection and self-determination.
The program application is available through this LEAP application link, and also available on our website: https://resourcevt.org/leap/
Minnesota Association of Blind Students Seminar
Join the Minnesota Association of Blind Students for an afternoon of conversation, shared experiences, new ideas, and opportunities to connect with your peers. The seminar is centered around blind students and their experiences, whether you are in high school, college, pursuing another form of postsecondary education, or somewhere in between. Parents, educators, professionals, and others interested in supporting blind students are also welcome. There is no fee to attend!
Friday, October 30, 2026
Complimentary pizza courtesy of MNABS at 12:30 PM
Seminar begins at 1:00 PM
DoubleTree by Hilton Saint Paul East
2201 Burns Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55119
If you have questions, need help figuring out transportation to the event, want to contribute ideas, or are interested in being part of the seminar, contact:
Ben Zheng
President, Minnesota Association of Blind Students
students@nfbmn.org
