Kentucky School for the Blind students, from left, Shane Lowe and Haley Hall contributed to a new book, "We Can Hear You Just Fine: Clarifications from the Kentucky School for the Blind.” The book was published Nov. 10 and was created in conjunction with volunteers from the Louisville Story Program. Photo by Kathy Mansfield, Nov. 16, 2016.

Kentucky School for the Blind students, from left, Shane Lowe and Haley Hall contributed to a new book, “We Can Hear You Just Fine: Clarifications from the Kentucky School for the Blind.” The book was published Nov. 10 and was created in conjunction with volunteers from the Louisville Story Program.
Photo by Kathy Mansfield, Nov. 16, 2016.

By Kathy Mansfield
kathy.mansfield@education.ky.gov

The Library Media Center at Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) recently hosted a celebration for the release of “We Can Hear You Just Fine: Clarifications from the Kentucky School for the Blind.”

The new book, “We Can Hear You Just Fine: Clarifications from the Kentucky School for the Blind,” was co-authored by seven current and former students of the Kentucky School for the Blind. Photo submitted by Kathy Mansfield

The new book, “We Can Hear You Just Fine: Clarifications from the Kentucky School for the Blind,” was co-authored by seven current and former students of the Kentucky School for the Blind.
Photo submitted by Kathy Mansfield

The book was co-authored by seven current and former students of KSB. Alumni authors of the school include Matthew Caudill, Madelyn Loyd, Selena Tirey, Kianna Waller and Cherish Willis. They, along with current students Shane Lowe and Haley Hall, spent nearly a year working with staff and volunteers from the Louisville Story Program to write individual sections of the compilation. Each writer’s unique voice conveys the challenges, joys and struggles from the lives of those who live in a world many of us will never know firsthand.

KSB and Kentucky Department of Education staff, students, families and community members participated in a book launch Nov. 10 at the Clifton Center in Louisville, sponsored by the Louisville Story Program. Six of the seven authors read excerpts from the chapters they wrote, as a rapt audience smiled, cried and laughed and then stood in line for autographs from the writers.

Read more about the creation of the book, and order copies to read and share, at the website for the Louisville Story Program here.