Resource: Client Story: Kristen Hallee

It was 20 years ago, when I first attended kindergarten as a child, that I realized what I wanted to do in life. As soon as I came home, I told my parents, “I want to be a kindergarten teacher!” Ever since then, I’ve worked toward that goal.

Of course, I faced challenges other children didn’t have when attending elementary school in Colebrook. I was born with cataracts and diagnosed with glaucoma when I was age four. So I needed to use enlarged text and magnifiers to help me do my schoolwork. My eyesight got worse in junior high, and I had to undergo numerous surgeries to reduce the painful pressure caused by glaucoma.

I was lucky my parents always encouraged me to be whatever I wanted. My mother herself was born completely blind, and she graduated from college, so she set a good example. But I can tell you, no matter how confident you are, serious visual impairment is a hard thing to live with.

Fortunately, I’ve had great help from the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. When I attended Rivier College in Nashua, NHAB’s orientation and mobility instructor, Glenn Gunn, helped me learn to navigate the campus. He taught me how to use the white cane to gain information and detect obstacles, and how to pay close attention to other cues in the environment. With his help, I became much more confident -- and safe -- crossing streets and finding my own way. I’ve also been able to use public transportation, even take the bus to Boston. And when I recently decided to go to dog guide school, Glenn prepared me wonderfully for the intensive training. Now my devoted guide dog Posada and I go everywhere together. She has really enhanced my ability to be more successful and independent out in the world.

NHAB’s rehabilitation teacher, Kathie Turner, also helped me so much. She adapted my kitchen to make it safer, taught me adaptive skills for cooking, maintaining my clothes, managing money, sewing, grooming and other personal needs. That’s so important for true independence. I don’t like to ask for too much help from anyone. She even helped me resume my favorite hobby -- making quilts.

I graduated last spring with honors, with a degree in Behavioral Science, a major in Early Childhood Education and Human Development and a minor in Special Education. Now my next goal is a Master’s in Intensive Special Needs. I want to make a difference to children who face challenges as I once did.