“Hi, my name is Sam. I’m 20 years old and lost my sight when I was eleven. I worried about what would happen to me, but I came to RLSB’s school in Kent, and my fears for the future began to dissolve. As a person without sight, sounds are the next best thing – and as well as all the skills I learnt there, they also supported my passion for music.
Music for me is what colours are for a sighted person. To be able to express myself through either playing the piano or singing is important for me. Music makes things a bit more vivid – I couldn’t imagine myself without a melody or a rhythm. Singing Feeling Good at my college graduation was bittersweet. I love the song and it’s really upbeat, summery and very positive, but the contrast is that I was worried about leaving Dorton.”
Sam recently started a degree in Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich. This new beginning initially left him feeling slightly anxious, but after his time with RLSB, Sam is confident that he can deal with whatever life throws his way.
Taking on University life
“Since I started at the school I’ve learnt so much, from language and communication through to music and independence skills.”
Living on my own gave me a great measure of myself and I can take all that with me to university. Greenwich is a totally different experience. There are tourists everywhere, noise and cars beeping, and although this is an exciting new chapter for me, it’s also daunting. But I’ve had mobility lessons with RLSB, and they’ve also helped me to find a note-taker for my course. They’re really helping me with the transition to university life.”
A bright future
Music will always be an intrinsic part of Sam’s life. He has already performed a whole host of shows and recently caught up with blind pop sensation Raul Midόn to get some advice on how to become a star. He also applied for ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent for next year and is already working on producing his first demo tape. As far as Sam and RLSB are concerned, there are no limits to his success.
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