PHOENIX — When life throws roadblocks, Aurora Lea adapts and finds her way around them.
Lea recently participated in the Foundation for Blind Children's Cane Quest, a competition for visually impaired children that aims to motivate the kids and help them practice proper safe travel techniques.
"I like to think of it as a field day for our students to practice and demonstrate their orientation and mobility skills and tools," Julie Oliver with the Foundation for Blind Children said.
The kids demonstrate their navigational skills by traveling through their community. They also practice skills like pouring a cup of water and climbing stairs with confidence.
"I always say, 'confidence is key,'" Lea said. "If you have confidence in yourself and you know you are going to be able to do it, you can accomplish everything or anything in life."
For visually impaired children, learning to navigate a city is a skill that is needed so they can someday live independently.
"They will learn how to be independent in their home by using different skills and techniques to navigate their kitchen, cook food, and prepare for work," Oliver said.
As she masters her mobility skills, Lea hopes to someday help other visually impaired children.
"As I progress in life, I can soon start teaching other people about how to do everything," Lea said. "I’m able to start teaching people how to help manage their cane, use their cane, and use their cane properly."
The Foundation for Blind Children partners with the Braille Institute every year to host Cane Quest at its main campus in north Phoenix.
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