Oklahoma School For The Blind Students Attend Western Heritage Day

Students at the Oklahoma School for the Blind spent the day in Haskell for their annual Western Heritage Day.

The kids said they were excited to spend the day out of class fishing, riding mechanical bulls, and jumping on a trampoline.

Kennedy Sullivan is a third grader at the Oklahoma School for the Blind. She was most excited to ride the mechanical bull.

"I'm fishing, I rode a horse, I'm going to ride a mechanical bull, I'm going to go rock climbing, and after I do all that I'm going to go back to ride a horse," said Sullivan.

The kids were paired with a Connors State College student to help them with the activities. Folks from the college said every year, they walk away being inspired by these kids.

"It's a time for them to be off campus, so it doesn't matter if you’re 8 or 18, you always enjoy a field trip to get out of the normal routine of school,” said Jake Walker, from Connors State College. “But to come out and spend time with these students. we always leave here in a positive mind frame because there's so much we take for granted."

The principal of the middle and high schools, Lynn Cragg, wants others to see that kids who are blind or visually impaired can do anything they believe they can do.

"Just because our students are blind or visually impaired doesn't mean they can't do some of the same things that their sighted peers can do,” said Cragg. “They love to be challenged and they love the rock wall and the bungee jump. It may be out of their comfort zone because they maybe can't see it real well, but they still want to try."

William Winston is a senior at the Oklahoma School for the Blind this year, and he just wanted to spend the day having a good time with his friends.

"We just want to get up, have fun, and spend some quality time with everybody,” said Winston. "Sitting in class is alright, but I just like to get out and do some fun stuff."

Western Heritage Day has been going on for more than 10 years some of the kids have gone multiple times.