Though he is only eleven years old, Rocco Fiorentino is already leaving his imprint on public policy - a Braille imprint. Blind since birth, Rocco has successfully lobbied legislators in New Jersey to provide Braille instruction for children who are blind or visually impaired in public schools throughout the state. When Rocco was five years old and then again when he was eight, he addressed New Jersey State legislators, convincing them to dedicate a total of $1.2 million to Braille education and services for children. On his second visit, at age eight, Rocco explained to legislators gathered at a State Budget Forum – which he attended with his mother – that he and other children with blindness would be illiterate if the state did not begin to pay more attention to Braille education. A state assemblyman later remarked at a press conference at Rocco's school, "Just like you know Rocco as your friend at school, he is also a friend to the blind children of New Jersey for helping level the playing field for them to become literate and well-read, thanks to his lobbying efforts to promote Braille education."
The additional funding provided by the state appropriation has allowed New Jersey to hire twelve additional Braille instructors to teach blind or visually impaired children in public schools, increasing the classroom time in which students learn the Braille code. Because of the specialized nature of Braille education, it is critically important that a student has as much time as possible with his or her instructor. The cost of transposing a textbook into Braille can be nearly three thousand dollars and must be ordered a year in advance of the class for which it is required. And because books in Braille are very large, children will generally need two desks and an adjustable chair to facilitate easy reading, in addition to their Braille reader and other supplies. In short, being able to read a single book in Braille can run up a number of expenses, but Rocco has rightly pointed out that the cost - in moral terms alone - of letting a blind child grow up illiterate is far higher.
Rocco Fiorentino was born four months premature and weighed only one-and-a-half pounds at birth. As a result of his extremely premature birth, many of his organs only began to develop after he was born. Though, according to doctors, he had less than a five percent chance of survival, Rocco endured twelve major surgeries and today lives a healthy and active life. The lingering effect of his premature birth is his blindness.
In addition to his advocacy for the blind - he has been successfully lobbying state government since the age of five - Rocco is also a leader and volunteer at the nonprofit organization established by his family. Named for Rocco, The Little Rock Foundation provides vital resources for children, parents, therapists, and educators who are facing issues related to blindness. Founded by the parents of a child living with blindness, the organization is uniquely positioned to address the needs of other parents who are trying to find the information they need to help their child. In addition to a variety of reading materials, the foundation also has two dedicated resource centers in Philadelphia – one at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and another at the Wills Eye Hospital of Philadelphia. The Little Rock Foundation has a scholarship program, an annual summer camp and holds regular community outreach events. Rocco's advocacy in a variety of public forums has been able to raise the profile of the foundation and allowed more families to benefit from its many resources.
To learn more about Rocco Fiorentino and his cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit: www.tlrf.org.
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