{"podcast":{"title":"Blind Abilities","slug":"blind-abilities-173427","podcast_index_feed_id":173427,"rss_url":"https://blindabilities.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://www.BlindAbilities.com","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/b/a/5/1/ba51d6acbbba05cd/BA.jpg","author":"Jeffrey Thompson","episode_count":498,"summary":"The most comprehensive resource for Assistive Technology, success Stories, College and Career Pathways and all with a Blindness Perspective.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-29T06:17:03.229518+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/blind-abilities-173427"},"episode":{"title":"More Than a Competition: Minnesota's First Cane Quest","slug":"more-than-a-competition-minnesota-s-first-cane-quest","published_at":"2026-05-22T16:08:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/blind-abilities-173427/more-than-a-competition-minnesota-s-first-cane-quest","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/blind-abilities-173427","url":"https://blindabilities.com/?p=9527","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/blindabilities/CaneQuest2026.mp3?dest-id=254899","summary":"Minnesota's first Cane Quest brought together students, families, teachers, orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and volunteers for a day focused on confidence, independence, and real-world travel skills. • Students practiced tactile maps, cardinal directions, obstacle detection, stair travel, street crossings, and locating destinations using white cane techniques. • Activities were designed for different ages, skill levels, and visual abilities, helping students grow through hands-on experiences and peer connections. • Parents attended informational sessions with experts in orientation and mobility and assistive technology, learning how to better support independence at home and school. • Volunteers and instructors emphasized allowing students to lead, encouraging confidence and problem-solving skills. • Paralympian and keynote speaker Max Nelson inspired students with his story of perseverance, independence, and self-confidence. Cane Quest celebrated more than competition—it highlighted mobility, teamwork, community support, and the belief that blind and visually impaired students can achieve extraordinary goals. - The Minnesota Cane Quest Planning Team Madi Ericksen, BrightWorks/SparkPath Colleen Feller, BrightWorks/SparkPath Jenny Pelletier, State Services for the Blind Joya Musa, Minneapolis Public Schools Allison Knigge, Minneapolis Public Schools Links of interests: The Spectacle Newsletter Youth Services at SSB Full Transcript","meta_description":"Minnesota's first Cane Quest brought together students, families, teachers, orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and volunteers for a day focus…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2021,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/blind-abilities-173427/episodes/more-than-a-competition-minnesota-s-first-cane-quest/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/blind-abilities-173427/more-than-a-competition-minnesota-s-first-cane-quest.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}