Inspiration In Grand Forks

Last week, I had the pleasure of being a guest speaker at the North Dakota School for the Blind located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. What an experience!

After a seven hour flight, my dog, Bizet, and I touched down in Grand Forks.  Grand Forks is a charming town of about 50,000 very friendly people. Being a country girl at heart, I felt immediately welcome.

Before delivering my speech, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the students. As usual, Bizet was the centre of attention, and of course, he rose to the occasion. I'm beginning to think he was a show dog in a previous life rather than a guide dog. As for myself, I was incredibly inspired by the extremely diverse group of students in grades ranging from 7 to 12. I was particularly entertained by the music video production they showed me - and especially the hilarious "blooper reel". These students had confidence, energy and curiosity like I'd never seen! They have high expectations, but with such a strong, enthusiastic and committed faculty team, I'm certain they'll have no trouble achieving their dreams.

When it came time to deliver my speech, I told the kids about the many challenges they can expect in life and tried to impart some words of wisdom about the most important lessons I've learned along the way. I think it was one of the best speeches I've ever delivered, and I'm glad to have shared it with such a receptive audience.

I really loved Grand Forks. I felt incredibly welcome, and I was so impressed with the support that the community offers for North Dakota Vision Services and the School for the Blind. I hope to be able to visit Grand Forks again someday, and reconnect with all of the amazing students I had a chance to get to know.