The Rachel Project
The Inspiration
Rachel Hyche
Hyche searched the Internet and found that the Blind Children’s Center in Los Angeles, Calif., had information on their Web site about plastic eggs that beep, allowing a blind or visually impaired child to find the eggs on their own. They gave Hyche information on how they constructed the eggs and conducted an Easter egg hunt. Armed with this information, Hyche decided to hold a similar event in Birmingham, Ala.
The event was a success, with 11 blind or visually impaired kids participating. Their parents and teachers saw how it taught independence, mobility, and location skills and asked if they could take the eggs home with them. Learning to locate and retrieve items is difficult for a blind or visually impaired child, and the beeping egg was both a valuable educational tool and a lot of fun. It was also something that a family can do together (sighted siblings and partially sighted participants can wear a blindfold).
Since that first year, the Birmingham hunt has grown. In 2007, 150 children participated. In 2009, there were two separate events to accommodate everyone. Some of the children who participated were in wheelchairs, deaf, or had very limited mobility. They all managed to find the eggs and have a great time.
In 2009, Hyche also supported an Easter egg hunt in Washington, D.C. The ATF staff at the National Center for Explosives Training and Research, IABTI member Joel Criswell and his wife, along with other IABTI members, built the eggs for this event. Several people asked that the event expand to other areas next year.
Hyche has become a Regional Director for the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI), and this organization has affiliates in most states and some other countries. Criswell brought this endeavor to the IABTI Executive Board and suggested that it consider supporting it. The Board has approved it and is working to develop a partnership between IABTI and NAPVI. Michigan State Police Bomb Squad has also constructed electronic eggs and worked with local groups to facilitate this type of event in their state.
Sheriff’s Office
Builds beeping Easter Eggs for Blind Kids
Saint Miriam Parish’s Director of Education Shaun Little said that it broke his heart to know that blind children had not been able to participate in Easter egg hunts, and he wanted to come up with a way to help. After finding out that the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators had a special program that provided kits for special beeping Easter eggs, he contacted bomb unit commander Lt. Allen Stewart to see if he would be willing to have the eggs built for the hunt.
The kits contained egg-shaped Pop Rocks® containers, wire circuits, batteries and switches. A team of deputies formed an assembly line and spent several hours making 50 eggs that sounded like smoke detectors when turned on. They carefully drilled holes into the bottom of each egg to attach the completed beeping circuits, and additional holes were soldered into the eggs to help carry the sound.
The weekend before Easter, an excited Andrew cheered on by his dad, mom and sister, led the group of eager hunters onto the field of eggs.
Listening carefully, Andrew and his family celebrated as he loaded as many eggs that would fit into his basket.
Andrew’s dad said it was a special moment for him too, because he never had the chance to experience an Easter egg hunt as a kid. It was also special for the sheriff’s office to be able to bring joy to a young boy and his family for the Easter holiday. Thank you to the bomb unit deputies for putting the eggs together and coming out to support the event.
Learn How To
Hold an Event
Learn How To