Fall 2006

Dear Friends,

Webster's online dictionary defines an internship as "any official or formal program that provides practical experience for beginners in an occupation or profession." But for those of us who have been interns, we know that the experience is often so much more.

An internship allows us many opportunities. We can experience the social and political aspects of the workplace, and meet people whom we may not otherwise have met. Moreover, we get a chance to test our skills, find out what we like and dislike, and experiment in a relatively safe environment.

The four blind and visually impaired interns who joined us this past year at AFB TECH in Huntington, West Virginia, experienced firsthand, and in most cases for the first time, what it is like to work in an office environment. But most importantly, they got to meet some of AFB's blind and visually impaired employees whose job it is to make sure that individuals living with vision loss have access to the same opportunities as others.

My hope is that these four students can someday act as role models to visually impaired teens, and that their experiences with AFB will follow them throughout their life and careers. I hope you will take the time to read more about our Technology Student Internship Program.

Sincerely,

Carl R. Augusto
President & CEO

Fall 2006

• Teenagers with Vision Loss Learn Valuable Life Lessons
• Donor Profile
• Focus on Planned Giving
• Make the Gift of a Lifetime to AFB