SHARP
Sports and Recreation for Blind and Visually Impaired Kids
FBC’s SHARP program provides opportunities for fun sports and recreation for the blind. SHARP is an adaptive recreation program designed for visually-impaired, school-age children! Our students participate in a variety of activities to help develop hobbies, talents, friends and to promote independence. We have been rock climbing, gone ice skating, and played sports. We do art projects, have cooking classes, and work on fitness.
Everything we do serves a purpose beyond just having fun. While participating in all these activities, students learn skills, make friends, and gain confidence. Playing sports helps develop motor skills, while things like cooking classes teach life-long skills. SHARP is a learning opportunity. If participants come to the program, they will be expected to try everything we do. When participants learn a new skill, they are encouraged to share it with the group and help someone else learn.
SHARP also helps get kids out of their comfort zones. In order to build the confidence needed to be a successful adult, they need to start trying new things early. We don’t really know what we like and don’t like until we give it a try, and SHARP provides opportunities to try everything from playing sports to going camping.
Is SHARP Right for Your Child?
Our sports and recreation program for blind and visually impaired kids is an open-entry, open-exit program, which means participants can come to whichever activities that they sign up for. Participants are not required to come every week, but are welcome whenever they want to. SHARP offers lots of activities to join in, so participants are always learning new things.
Is SHARP Right for Your Child?
Our sports and recreation program for blind and visually impaired kids is an open-entry, open-exit program, which means participants can come to whichever activities that they sign up for. Participants are not required to come every week, but are welcome whenever they want to. SHARP offers lots of activities to join in, so participants are always learning new things.
We’ve established the following criteria for program participants:
- Your child has a documented visual impairment.
- They are attending grades kindergarten through middle school.
- Your child is independent (must be able to eat, use the toilet and dress themselves)
- Your child must be able to communicate independently via verbal, sign and or with a communication device.
- Able to actively participate in a group setting without negatively impacting other group participants. Inappropriate behaviors include:
- Elopement (running away)
- • Physical aggression
- • Displays of consistent defiant behavior
(This includes but is not limited to the following: constant refusal to stand in line, constant refusal to participate in a variety of activities, constant refusal to abide by program rules.)
- Your child does not require constant supervision by a qualified health aide or nurse.
We’ve established the following criteria for program participants:
- Your child has a documented visual impairment.
- They are attending grades kindergarten through middle school.
- Your child is independent (must be able to eat, toilet and dress themselves)
- Your child must be able to communicate independently via verbal, sign and or with a communication device.
- Able to actively participate in a group setting without negatively impacting other group participants. In appropriate behaviors include:
Elopement (running away)
• Physical aggression
• Displays of consistent defiant behavior
(This includes but is not limited to the following: constant refusal to stand in line, constant refusal to participate in a variety of activities, constant refusal to abide by program rules.)
- Able to actively participate in a group setting without negatively impacting other group participants. In appropriate behaviors include:
- Your child does not require constant supervision by a qualified health aide or nurse.
For more information, please contact our
Community Engagement Manager | Cody Alvarez
Direct: 602-678-5817
Or email us using the form below.
