INTRODUCTION TO NO L IMITS


L aur a Al v a r ado , Execut i ve Di rec tor Indi ana Bl ind Chi ldren ' s Founda t ion ( IBCF ) Dear Friends of the Foundation,


In 2018, IBCF received the Strengthening Indianapolis Through Arts and Cultural Innovation grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc., to encourage community building and celebrate creativity. As one of 18 grantees, IBCF has been extremely busy over the past seven months as we’ve begun to implement change not only at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI), but out in the community.


We believe that in order to set ISBVI students up for success, we have to create change outside the walls of the school. Going through change is hard at times, and the transformation hasn't always been smooth, but we are experiencing new growth in both planned and unplanned ways. One of the most exciting areas where we're seeing change is in and through the Leadership Club.


In February of 2019, the No Limits Leadership Club was formed and is made up of High School aged students from ISBVI. Over the course of the Spring semester, the students were engaged in weekly after-school sessions focused on understanding protections afforded by the ADA, strengthening their self-advocacy voice, and learning from one another on how to appropriately use that voice to get one's needs met. Additionally, students traveled numerous times to No Limits arts partner, the Eiteljorg Museum, to learn about their education programs, exhibits, and the overall community engagement of the museum. ArtMix President and CEO, Gayle Holtman, provided numerous sessions with students and Eiteljorg Museum staff to discuss accessibility, sensitivity, and how students can convey their strengths to others.


It was exciting to see students connect with staff and docents and build strong, personal relationships so that access didn't seem so daunting. For example, to the staff, it's now "Nikki" who can’t find her way around the museum with the current museum map. Once you meet these students, you don’t just see a disability, you see each one as a person.


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