Shaela Poses with her guide dog Lennox
Shaela Warkentin was 15 years old when a car crash would leave her permanently blind. Though the crash stole her eyesight it could not steal her spirit. She has overcome so much since then to recently graduate from Fresno State with her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. In the fall, she will be starting a PsyD program and is tackling education goals which some people never reach. This amazing young woman is also my cousin. I was able to sit down with her recently and interview her about her education and future dreams. I hope that you will be able to glean as much insight and inspiration from her as I did because she truly is amazing.
What is it like to have graduated from college?
What is it like? It seems surreal just the fact that I was able to do it. That I was able to go the all the way. It’s almost like time just flies by so fast. I remember having the specific thoughts like “Uh two more years” or three more four more however many. I’m pretty sure I said that every year.
But I am very happy and thankful that I was able to complete it, especially without my eyesight. It was really hard and really difficult, but I feel accomplished that I was able to do it.
It almost seems like I said it’s just surreal. I don’t know how this could ever happen. People think that it’s only four years of classes, but it is more than that. It’s not just sitting in a lecture, it’s having to put effort and work into it. It’s taking exams and you have to pass the exams to pass the class usually.
So I am very happy and grateful that I was able to accomplish it without the use of my eyes because like I said it was hard. I, of course, had people and resources to help me get through it, which I am very thankful about also. So I have to give credit to them.
Shaela at graduation with Lennox and boyfriend Tyler
How does it feel to be going into a PsyD program?
I am very excited. I am so nervous. It starts next month. It seems like, “Wow I’m doing this. This is me it’s not another person.” I’m just thinking of stories that I have heard of other people going into Ph.D. or PsyD programs and having that license and having that knowledge behind them. I can’t believe that it’s me now going into it.
Like I said I’m super nervous about it. I attended one lecture just to see what it was like and it really is just like in undergrad except more intimate. We were in a smaller room, there are not as many people there was like five of us total including myself. I am very nervous and excited all at the same time. It’s going to be crazy.
But I’m thinking of it just like my undergrad. I go into it and take year by year. I don’t know what it will be like, but I’m ready to take on the challenge.
It’s different people it’s a different building its new everything. It’s going to be a new chapter in my life. We will see how it goes, but it really is an amazing place Alliant International University. They’re like a family they are so welcoming. It’s awesome.
What do you hope to do after your PsyD program?
We will see where these four years take me. Especially the fourth year being in an internship. Right now, I want to work with adolescents.
I want to be a psychologist, therapist, counselor whatever you want to call it. I want to be that person that they can come to and sit down. It’s one on one. They can just talk to me. They can let out whatever is going through their mind. Whatever is bothering them and bogging them down. Because we all have those times where we are just like “Uh like eh there is so much going on I just want someone to talk to, someone to listen to me.”
So due to the fact that I have been through a traumatic experience and there was so much going on. I want to be that person for someone else because I saw a psychologist. She was kind of my role model.
So I just want to do that. I want to help adolescents mentally because we are in need of mental health right now. Especially for the younger generation.
Shaela and her dad Ken Warkentin enjoying dinner
What has been the most help to you educationally since going blind?
I think just the help that I have received from not only Valley Center for the Blind in my community right now, but also at Fresno State there were services for students with disabilities.
Just having their help was amazing. If my computer died they had a charger for it, or if I needed eyes to help me edit a word document, or to help me edit something that was not accessible with my computer. I would just tell them what needed to be edited and they would assist me with that.
Also, having like double time, to be able to be accommodated in that sense. Having a little bit more time to take my exams so I can just relax and not stress out about my computer dying. That has definitely been helpful.
Even having people like my dad with classes that I am required to take but they have programs that are inaccessible with the programs on my computer. Or classes that require eyesight. I have people like my dad, who are willing to take their time, sit down with me, and work out the problems with me. Just assist me in that way. I am so thankful for the people that take the time to do that to help me. People and resources are the most important.
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What do you wish that teachers knew about blind students?
That they have their brain. They are just like everyone else they just can’t see. The world is just dark to them. They can’t see colors and shapes and everything, but they are like everyone else.
Just so the teachers can treat them like other people. There have been people in the past that haven’t treated me like an individual because I can’t see because I have a disability. Often people believe that just because someone has a disability that they have all these other disabilities, not just the one that they actually have.
I think just not only that aspect but definitely communication. They really need to communicate with the student and ask the student what they need from the teacher. Because some teachers just assumed that I needed a certain thing but I really didn’t. They assumed that I needed a special chair or paper in braille. But I’m not an avid Braille reader. So because of that Braille does no help for me. Also, I don’t need a special chair. Just like any other student, I can use a regular chair. I don’t have a disability where I’m not able to sit upright.
Little stuff like that. I think that all comes down to communication and wanting to help. Because if you are willing to help other students without a disability I think they should be willing to help a student with a disability. Because these students are individuals they want to get an education. So, I think it is really important.
I’m very thankful for that as well because I know my school and my city are not so low to say, “You don’t deserve an education because you have a disability.” but I’m happy that they look past that. #americanswithdisabilitiesact.
Shaela at an event for Visually Impaired Students at Fresno State
What were the hardest things to relearn?
One of the hardest things to relearn. Wow. I really have to think about that one because I had to relearn almost everything. That is really hard because there was so much emotion in the relearning process because I lost so much. It was just coming to the realization that I had to do something differently.
I expected when I lost my eyesight, I think it was due to my brain injury, that I would just go back to school. That I would pick up a paper, pick up a pencil, I would be on my own, I could walk around campus by myself. That I could just go back to how life was before my accident.
But I obviously came to the realization that that is not what needed to happen. I had to go to school, and I had to relearn how to use a keyboard and how to use a computer. I had to learn the screen reading software, which converts text to speech, I had to relearn all of that, which is a big learning curve.
I had to have an assistant with me during classes before I regained my ability to be on my own and take my own notes. I obviously had to have an assistant with me before I learned how to use my cane independently because I didn’t know my campus yet being blind. If someone just gave me a cane and said, “Hey learn how to use this and walk around in complete darkness,” that wouldn’t work. So I had to have an assistant with me and everything.
All in all, just coming to the realization that things were different and I had to learn all this new stuff that was really hard for me to do. But other than that I think that everything was equally difficult. I just had to have the realization of this is what I need to do.
Also, my phone that was hard for me as a teenager a 15-16 year old going completely blind. Of course this generation now, we are always on our phones. So when I first became blind, I didn’t know how to use my phone anymore because I had to learn this new software for my phone. So that was very exhausting and overwhelming and emotional.
I remember that was definitely a hard thing for me to go through. I was very upset that I could not use my phone as easy as before. There were even some apps that I wanted to play that I played with when I was 15-16, apps that I was so attached to like the games and stuff. I wasn’t able to play those games anymore because they weren’t compatible with my screen reader and a lot of those things take eyesight. Like doodle jump that takes eyesight to be able to play. So it was very emotional it was very hard.
You just have to come to the realization that things will change and you can’t do anything about it. I can’t stomp my feet and my eyesight will come back.
What would you want the people who make programs for phones to know about clients with disabilities that way they can make them more accessible?
I think it will take time of researching how to make an app accessible to the blind. I’m not that technology savvy, so I don’t know what it is that needs to happen to make it accessible for a screen reader.
Taking the time to understand that the population all around the world have disabilities is something they have to think of. Of course, that comes down to Apple. Apple has that ability. They have the ability to increase the volume for someone that is hard of hearing, or they have things for people who can’t move their fingers.
I think in general app developers should do their best to make the app accessible for as many people as they can. Sometimes we just have to understand that maybe things will not be able to be accessible. There are a lot of games that it seems impossible to make it accessible for a screen reader. I think though taking the time to research how to make their app accessible to as many people as possible is where they should start.
Shaela skiing with the help of a guide
What was one of the most fun times that you have had relearning how to do something?
I think just that one on one time with the person who is teaching me whatever I’m doing. Because there is just so much that can come out of that: laughter, empathy, similarity. Like saying, “ Oh yeah I’ve been through too. Oh my gosh, what was that like for you?” and saying “Well my experience was…” It is just like sharing stuff like that, sharing experiences. And overall just growing closer and growing a relationship with the teacher or student. That is a big one for me because I love people, I love talking, and just building that friendship.
But in regards to a specific thing that I loved relearning, I don’t know, I just had to relearn so much. I love the outdoors, so I am so excited to learn how to rock climb and how to horseback ride. Horseback riding was really fun. Skiing was cool. Ice skating that was super fun loved that. What else? Oh zip lining, zip lining was so much fun you are just flying through the air. A lot of these things there is not much learning that has to go into it because you are using a lot of your senses. Imagine yourself on a rock, and you just have to use your sense of touch to see where the next rock or placeholder for you to grab onto is with your hands and your feet. That is really cool and it doesn’t take much help on someone else’s part. It is just a really independent sport. But yeah I think a lot of outdoor stuff was really fun for me to learn. But number one would definitely be the relationships formed in the learning process.
What gadgets would you recommend for blind or vision impaired people to be independent?
I feel like independent is so broad like independent in what? Definitely mobility with a cane. At least in California, you have to get your white cane abilities down before you move to the stage of getting a guide dog. So if you want a dog and you don’t want to use a cane and use a dog you have to get the white cane ability down. You have to get the education about the while cane first and how to use it. And be able to show people that you can use the white cane properly and appropriately before moving onto the stage of getting a guide dog. So definitely that in regards to independence and mobility to get around by yourself.
But I mean other than that a screen reader. I am not going to stress braille now that we are in this technology era. I mean I have chosen to use a screen reader over braille. It’s still nice to get the basics of braille down like numbers and letters. I recommend that because that has really helped me around town. Like, say I am somewhere and I need to find a bathroom. There is usually braille on the bathroom door to say women’s or men’s.
Also in colleges and high schools, they should have braille on their doors to state what number room it is. Say for example if I was to go up to a room and I’m trying to find room 17. I go up to feel the door and it says 17 in braille. I know this is 17 but if another blind person came up, who didn’t know braille and felt it they may say “Well I don’t know if this is room 17 let me try another room.” It just takes a lot longer. So getting the basics of braille down is important for independence.
Just know don’t give up you can do it. It can be tiring and you won’t want to keep going you may feel like you will never get to the level of complete independence. There is a part of that feeling that is true because I feel like we always have to learn from someone else. Like for example learning how to use a car. We all have to go through classes to do learn how to drive. Also, learning how to cook. Some people can learn how to do it on their own but you’re going to need some resources to help you rather that be the internet or DIY. In some way or another we are getting something else to help us complete the task we want to complete.
In regards to blindness, becoming completely independent you can get to that level but there is going to have to be sometimes where you lean on others but know you can get there.
Shaela at a 5k
What applications or games do you like that are blind friendly?
On the computer, I use a program called RS games. So google RS games and it will take you to a place where you can download the program. They have tons of games. They have Monopoly, Uno, Farkle, Pig I’m not sure if anyone knows pig, the blind should. They have apples to apples, cards against humanity. They have so many games on there. So that’s fun if you are ever bored.
Then on my phone, I love playing dice world. It’s a fun dice game it has Yahtzee and Farkle. I also like to play it’s a new game that just came out it’s called Huboodle. On there you can play word builder games. They have poker they have blackjack they have a lot of things on there. Those are the games I like to play.
What else, yeah that is pretty much it. Some social media apps are blind friendly. Like Facebook stuff like that and of course my bible.
Any last things you want to say?
It all comes down to when things like this happen in your life out of nowhere like it did to me know that life is not over. There are so many resources you can find for learning rather that be education wise in school, or just education wise in general life. How to make your bed? How to cook? How to clean? How to travel independently? There are resources that can teach you that no matter what disability you have. But just in the end know that life in not over and to keep going.
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