Blind Children's Learning Center Alumni Sibling Gives Back

Jaclyn Skvarla Leads Volunteer Project

"My brother, Andrew, went to Blind Children's Learning Center (BCLC) when he was two and graduated after kindergarten. My sister, Alyssa and I went to their summer camp every year with Andrew. BCLC has helped our family so much. I thought it would be a fun idea to give back some of the joy everyone brought us!"

- Jaclyn Skvarla

Jaclyn is a student at Canyon High School. She and her classmates, Savi Williams, Khushi Arora and Gavin Bains were assigned to create a challenging project with the stipulation it truly would be beneficial and produce results for an organization.

Wanting to give back to BCLC, Jaclyn presented to her team members the idea of creating a sensory garden to meet the needs of the Center's students. They loved the idea and enthusiastically produced a plan and raised the funds through bake sales to purchase the supplies. Together they designed and built a sensory garden in a planter.

This was not an average planter. They built it with specifications that would enable a student in a wheel chair to independently be able to touch, smell and even water the plants without assistance. In addition they created labels for each plant in Braille.

What may seem like a simple planter to some people, to the students at BCLC this adapted planter is a tool that enables them to independently discover and explore plant life.

BCLC staff, students and their families are grateful to Jaclyn and her team members for this very special gift.

Learn more about volunteer projects and opportunities at the Center.

Bright Visions Early Childhood Center - Campus Activities

Safari After School

Lions and tigers and bears - oh my!

After classes end, learning continues at Bright Visions Early Childhood Center.

Teacher Jenny Vincent created a

multi-sensory learning experience for children in afternoon Child Care.

Armed with binoculars and their imaginations, they went on safari in search of wild animals they could find on the playground.

Learn More about their exciting discoveries.

Senses to Freedom

"If you could taste, touch, hear and see freedom, what would it taste, feel, sound and look like?"

This is the question AmeriCorps Member Chanel Bradley asked the Center teachers. Using their responses, she worked with Cox Communications and California Conservation Corps to create "Senses to Freedom," one of OneOC's Day of Service projects honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Learn More about this special volunteer project.

Memories - 1st Destination Independence 5K Walk

Mikey King and Danielle Houch the "1st Walk Ambassadors" in 2004

Danielle and her best friend Lindsay at the 2013 Destination-Independence 5K Walk.

Danielle was five years old, attending the Early Childhood Center (now the Bright Visions Early Childhood Center), when she proudly represented her fellow classmates as one the first Destination - Independence 5K Walk ambassadors.

She still as fond memories of the Center as the place where she made life long friends. Her mother, Jennifer, also has treasured memories. The greatest was meeting amazing parents and their children.

Destination-Independence is an annual event for Danielle's family. Aunts, uncles, cousins and her grandmother, Beverly, walk and help raise funds for her Walk Team. In 2004, Beverly recruited her employer Letner Roofing Co. as
one of our first Walk sponsors. They continued their support and have been major sponsors for 10 years.

Danielle has grown into an effervescent, confident and charming young lady. Her dream is to become an entertainer at Disneyland singing Disney melodies.