2007 Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards

"RFB&D has played a significant role in my obtaining such a high GPA …. It has made my life so much easier and has enhanced my knowledge greatly." Tiffany West, Lincoln, NE

Tiffany had few accommodations made for her visual impairment during her early schooling - keeping pace with her classmates was due to her sheer determination to succeed.

It was not until her third year of college, that the Commission of the Blind in Lincoln, NE, introduced her to RFB&D. "Audio textbooks opened my eyes to a whole new world of learning," says Tiffany. "It saved me not only time, but a lot of neck and back pain as well." She comments that the physical pain of spending hours bending closely to look at a book is often overlooked.

Not only is she determined to succeed for herself, but spends considerable time helping others. In high school Tiffany was awarded the Young Women in Excellence Recognition Award and the Friendship Home in Lincoln, which shelters abused women and children, has also benefited from her altruism. Most recently, she has contributed to Project SAFE and the Newlywed Project within the clinical psychology department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).

Tiffany graduated with a 3.5 GPA and a bachelor of arts in psychology from UNL. She says "RFB&D has played a significant role in my obtaining such a high GPA …. It has made my life so much easier and has enhanced my knowledge greatly."

Her goal is to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and become a therapist for victims of family violence - she is already using RFB&D's GRE study guide books to help her prepare. It seems Tiffany took it to heart when her sixth grade teacher told her she did not have a disability; she only had more motivation to achieve greatness.

Juliet remembers feelings of "joy and relief, and from that day on RFB&D became my helmsman." Juliet Cody, Escondido, CA

Early in her adult life Juliet started her own family, opened a family day care business and was very successful in providing preschool enrichment programs. Not long afterwards, she developed retinitis pigmentosa and quickly began to lose her eyesight. Reluctantly, she closed her center and gave thought to a new career.

Returning to school as a student who was blind, Juliet worried about finding a reader and completing her assignments - until her rehabilitation counselor introduced her to RFB&D. She remembers feelings of "joy and relief, and from that day on RFB&D became my helmsman." Not only did receiving RFB&D's audiobooks give her independence, they helped her become an honor student and re-establish her confidence.

In the spring of 2007, Juliet received her bachelor of arts in communication from California State University - an achievement made even more significant by Juliet having taken a year off school to receive chemotherapy for a cystic mass. Juliet now plans to continue her education in rehabilitation counseling. She also plans to continue using RFB&D to help with her own studies and with her mentoring and advocacy on behalf of other students who are blind.

In the role of president, board member, speaker or group leader, Juliet's passion for helping her community has benefited various Californian chapters of organizations including Guide Dogs for the Blind, National Federation of the Blind, and the Disabilities Issues Advisory Committee as well as many preschool and high schools students and parents. In her presentations, she recommends RFB&D and comments, "As families learn about this resource they all agree it is a blessing …."

"Whether skimming a hundred pages a week for AP U.S. history, enjoying absurdist dramas in AP English or puzzling through a set of problems for my physics class, RFB&D's books were indispensable to me." Jessie Kirchner, Guilford, CT

Jessie, one of four surviving quintuplets, was the first child who was blind to be mainstreamed in her public school. With the help of assistive technology, she excelled through her early school years. Of RFB&D's audiobooks, Jessie comments, "There came a time during high school when I couldn't imagine being without them. Whether skimming a hundred pages a week for AP U.S. History, enjoying absurdist dramas in AP English, or puzzling through a set of problems for my physics class, RFB&D's books were indispensable to me."

In high school, Jessie performed in bands and choirs and as a church soloist. She also advocated on behalf of the blindness community, attending state legislative hearings, and testifying before the U.S. Senate about the benefits of a bill that would give students who are blind access to textbooks simultaneously with their sighted classmates.

At The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, besides mentoring freshmen, acting in a musical, and participating in religious groups, Jessie co-founded a campus organization to address the concerns of students with disabilities. A restorative justice internship in the Minnesota Department of Corrections helped reinforce her desire to work with crime victims, offenders, their families and communities in the conflict resolution field.

Jessie graduated with a GPA of 3.71 and is currently pursuing a joint degree in law and social work at the University of Michigan. She believes that RFB&D has helped give her a "superior academic and extracurricular education. I hope to use my education and skills for lasting community improvement and social change on local and perhaps even national levels," she says.