VIDBE-Q 2026 Volume 71 Issue 1
not competing, the student returned to high school and continued learning braille,
assistive technology, and orientation and mobility.
As the student transitioned back to high school, the impact of competing on
a nationally televised show overshadowed her readjustment. The student, her
paraprofessional, and I were constantly preparing for the next phase of the
competition without knowing how far she would advance. When she was home,
the student was expected to cultivate her fanbase on social media. While most of
her peers were immersed in classes, extracurricular activities, and college
applications, the student had traveled across the country and experienced the
intensity of competing before celebrity judges and a national audience. This
amount of pressure in such a short time was a lot for any contestant to navigate,
especially a high school student.
After a demanding seven months and multiple transitions, the competition
finished. Ultimately, the student did not win, but she was invited to sing "Rise Up"
with Andra Day for the finale. Immediately following the show's completion, the
student received multiple invitations for interviews from local news outlets, as well
as requests to sing at events. Meanwhile, with graduation just two months away,
the student still needed to fulfill several school obligations, including mastering as
much braille and assistive technology as possible in the remaining time.
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