Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Now hiring: teachers of the visually impaired (TVI)! IESBVI is seeking two TVIs to provide direct and consultative services in local school and home settings.

Open Positions
• Mississippi Bend AEA
• Prairie Lakes AEA (Part-Time)

Key Requirements & Qualifications
• Formulate IEP goals, provide specialized instruction and collaborate with families/teams.
• Iowa teaching license with a visual impairment (VI) endorsement (or a special education endorsement with a commitment to complete the VI endorsement within three years—financial assistance available!).

Find more information and apply at this link: https://iaeducationfordeafandblind.org/careers.

[ID; IESBVI logo, we are hiring teacher of the visually impaired. Staff sits a a table with a student helping him with hand-over-hand technique.]

Our 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 campers have been incredibly busy building independence all over the Des Moines metro! They put their transit training to work by riding Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) buses to and from Jordan Creek Town Center to practice navigating crowds, escalators and making purchases. They also teamed up for a metro-wide bus scavenger hunt, including a fun navigation challenge inside Walmart to build problem-solving and team-building skills. Back at base, they brushed up on independent living by cooking tacos and prepping lasagna, while others volunteered their time at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen and weeding.

A big thank you to our incredible braillists at Heartland Area Education Agency! The tactile maps you produced for our Des Moines Area Community College tour and Jordan Creek shopping day were absolute game-changers for our students.

[ID: two campers pose for a picture next to the Apple logo, a staff member stands next to a student navigating an escalator with a white cane, students and staff seated at a restaurant and sitting on the bus. Two students point to the Ingersoll Theatre sign, a student cooking hamburger, two students putting food in an aluminum pan, a group photo in front of a DART bus, two campers wearing new hats at Walmart.]

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽 is off to a great start! Campers have been busy building independence through hands-on experiences and real-world learning. The week began with meal planning, creating grocery lists and a trip to Hy-Vee where campers practiced locating items, comparing prices, asking employees for assistance and working together as a team. Back at home base, they prepared lunches and snacks for the week while strengthening organization and cleanup skills.

The group also explored public transportation by visiting DART Central Station, learning about DART's new route system, and riding the bus to Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny. After a picnic lunch by the pond, campers toured campus and connected with representatives from admissions, disability services, student services, career counseling and more to learn about opportunities and supports available after high school.

[ID: Campers are baking and making snacks in the kitchen, campers sit underneath a shelter near a pond and eat lunch, standing and listening to their tour guides, standing in a group outside. Sitting in a classroom while a teacher stands at the front, a few of them have their hands raised. Standing for a group picture beneath the flags of four different countries.

Good luck to sixth grader Khanh as he travels to Los Angeles next week to compete in the National Braille Challenge June 25-27! Khanh is a returning national competitor and the only student representing Iowa at this year's competition. He receives services from IESBVI and works with Teacher of the Visually Impaired Christina Freeman. Good luck, Khanh!

The wait is over—meet our 2026 Braille Challenge Finalists!

2026 has been a record-breaking year for international participation. This year, we had participants from six different countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Our finalists earned the top scores out of over 2,000 total competitors across the globe.

Congratulations, Finalists! We can’t wait for you to join us at Finals next month.

Find the list of Finalists on our website here: https://bit.ly/4whBL3M

Image Description: Graphic featuring a celebratory colorful confetti background and the headline "Meet our 2026 Braille Challenge Finalists!" above the Braille Institute logo.

McGregor Scholarship recipients have been named! Congratulations to new graduates (who were served by IESBVI) Leah Dykema, Alexander Mercado-Ameson, Addalyn Worster and Kaitlin Zimmerman and returning recipient Jessica Bly, who were chosen by the scholarship committee for awards!

The McGregor Scholarship Program was established on behalf of Eudora F. McGregor to provide financial assistance to Iowa students who are blind or visually impaired and pursuing post-secondary education. Scholarships are generally awarded in the amount of $1,000 per semester, with a maximum of $2,000 per academic year.

The scholarship is available to students who have received services from IESBVI during their school years. At this time, the scholarship fund can sustain awarding five scholarships annually, allowing the funds to continue growing and supporting future recipients.

[ID: Congratulations McGregor Scholarship Recipients, IESBVI logo, gold confetti, hand with graduation cap in one hand and diploma in other]

Camp Abilities wrapped up after five days of sports, fitness, teamwork and trying new things. Campers learned new skills, made friends, stayed active and had fun! Thank you to everyone who made this year’s camp a memorable experience. CAMP ABILITIES WORLD

[ID: group picture of many students and staff, second picture is of the same group making funny faces.]

Camp Abilities campers stayed active all day with goalball, workouts in the weight room and hands-on testing of adaptive sports equipment. Campers tried an airless basketball with a bell inside and a ball equipped with a Bluetooth speaker that can play any sound, helping athletes track the ball in new ways. Teamwork, enthusiasm and guidance from staff helped everyone build skills while exploring equipment that could be part of future Camp Abilities activities. CAMP ABILITIES WORLD

[ID: students in the gym playing goalball with face masks, elbow pads and knee pads on, students standing with a variety of different balls on the floor, a student on a treadmill, a student using the leg press machine, five staff members sit around a table.]

Camp Abilities campers enjoyed an afternoon in pool! They played some water basketball, made many trips down the slide and cooled off under the waterfall. CAMP ABILITIES WORLD

{ID: A student goes down the slide then video pans to the other side of the pool with multiple students and staff in it, some boys playing basketball in the water shooting the ball in a hoop on the side of the pool, students swim under the waterfall.]

During the day, bowling and general training were also featured. CAMP ABILITIES WORLD

Videos: student sends practice bowling ball down open room and knocks down eight pins while coach watches, students crab walk down a long mat, students are on ellipticals and treadmills. Images: Staff demonstrate how to alternate hands and feet in a crouched bear walk down the mat, female student with barbell on shoulders near weight machine