IPFW officials announced a public art project Wednesday they hope will make Allen County a more vibrant community.A group of Haley Elementary students had the privilege Thursday of getting to know Rinaldo, a blind puppet, and his puppet friend, Brenda.
As third-graders sat crossed-legged on the floor, Rinaldo, a blue-haired 9-year-old, spoke with Brenda about what it was like to be blind.
Then he opened the floor to questions, of which there were many.
“Are you really blind,” one student asked.
“What can you see?” asked another.
“Do people make fun of you because you’re blind?” asked a third.
“I was born this way. I can’t help it,” Rinaldo explained. “We’re all different. But we all have the same things on the inside … feelings.”
The visit with Rinaldo and Brenda was part of Kids on the Block, a puppet presentation by the Mental Health America in Allen County. The puppets depict students dealing with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, emotional problems, drug and alcohol abuse and other challenging situations.
The point of the presentations is to convince children that everyone is deserving of respect – no matter how different they may seem.
Recognitions
•The 2011 graduating class for the University of Saint Francis Physician Assistant master’s degree program achieved a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam, administered by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants.
IPFW
•The Mind, Body, and Soul Zumba-Thon will take place from noon to 1:15 p.m. Thursday in Walb Union Ballroom. This midday Zumba party is designed to promote wellness and a healthy mind, body and soul.
•Andre Patterson, executive director of Just for Youth and an IPFW graduate student, will give the keynote address at “The Chocolate Hour: Empowering the Dream, an Evening of Empowerment and Mentoring,” 6 p.m. Thursday in the Walb Union Ballroom. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youths.
Manchester
•Christopher M. Whitt, founder of the Africana studies program at Augustana College, will present “Eyes on Economic Justice, the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” at 7 p.m. Friday in the upper College Union.
Huntington
•Jim O’Donnell, Luke J. Peters Professor of Business and Executive-in-Residence, will give his annual review and forecast of the economy at the Huntington University Foundation breakfast at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday in the Habecker Dining Commons. Cost of the breakfast is $7. First-time attendees eat free courtesy of Bailey-Love Mortuary.
Defiance
•The college will host several Master of Arts in Education information sessions in the Serrick Campus Center from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday as well as Jan. 26, Feb. 7, Feb. 23, March 6, March 22, April 10 and April 24.
