I was wrong. I learned more about myself as a blind person in one week than I had in all the previous time I had spent dealing with blindness. I learned the importance of educating blind people because we develop the tools to lead happy and fulfilling lives. I also learned that education is imperative if we are going to compete in society. There are so many misconceptions about blindness that it is our responsibility to dispel those old myths.
Education is the key to changing society's attitudes and opinions.
It is through education that society will change their expectations for blind people. Opportunity will be created when society learns the truth about blind people. One member of the Scholarship Committee advised me that, if I would keep an open mind, I would leave convention with much more than scholarship money. She was right. The seeds have been planted.