NA College of Education students and members of the Keller Birthplace Foundation and the American Optometic Association Foundation have come together to create a camp for children who are hearing-impaired, visually-impaired or a combination of both.

Camp Courage will be held at Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, the birthplace of Helen Keller, Oct. 24-26. 10 students from across Northwest Alabama, ages seven through 14, will work with college students that will guide the young students through educational, social and inspirational activities, according to a press release.

Keller was able to overcome total deafness and blindness to earn a college education.

Vicki Hulsey, the department chair of the UNA Department of Elementary Education, said in a press release, “The intention of the camp is to give campers a Helen Keller experience that is fun and exciting and hopefully inspirational as well. We want the campers to celebrate their abilities and come away with a sense of accomplishment.”

Anne Sullivan’s involvement with Helen Keller at Ivy Green and the film “The Miracle Worker” greatly impacted Hulsey’s career and life choices, she said.

The campers will be paired with a UNA student in the College of Education and Human Sciences. The college students will, in turn, act as “Anne Sullivans” to the young students, Hulsey said.

“It is truly what inspired me to become a special educator,” Hulsey said. “One of the most powerful experiences ever portrayed in any film is the water pump sequence when Helen finally understands and she is no longer a prisoner in a dark and silent world. I’ve wanted to be Annie Sullivan ever since.”

Camp Courage will allow the students who are counselors to have “their own Annie Sullivan experience,” she said.

“I cannot wait to be a part of the ultimate ‘Helen Keller experience’ these campers will embark on,” Dunham said. “I am humbled to play even the smallest of roles in this groundbreaking event. I look forward to being a part of it for years to come.”

UNA senior Samantha Fotovich, who is majoring in elementary education, is one of the UNA students who is going to be a counselor at the camp.

Fotovitch knew as soon as Hulsey presented the camp to her disabilities class that this was she was interested, she said.

“I had already made a soft commitment to another organization for that weekend, but I felt like Camp Courage was something I was called to participate in,” she said. “I had the opportunity to help with an inspiring and historical event, and I knew I could not pass it up.”

Kayla Dunham is another counselor for Camp Courage. She graduated from UNA with a Bachelors of Science in elementary education in Dec. 2012 and is currently pursuing her Masters degree in special education.

She said she was inspired by how much Keller was willing to give back to the world despite her adversities.

“When Dr. Hulsey approached me about this wonderful way of giving back to, and learning from, those individuals who are often overlooked in our community, I knew this was too much of a blessing to pass up,” she said.

The eight students who will be counselors at the camp went through training and orientation on Sept. 21. The Helen Keller Scholars, who are recognized on a national level for master ability to teach students with visual and hearing impairments, conducted activities with the Camp Courage participants, Hulsey said. The UNA students received training from these scholars.

Dunham and Fotovich said they are focused on the students and providing them with a true “Helen Keller Experience.”

“During camp, I am there solely to help these guys have the time of their lives,” Dunham said.

Fotovich reflected the same excitement Dunham showed.

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to work as a counselor for the first ever Camp Courage,” she said. “The vision for this program is incredible, and I am honored that when I teach history lessons about Helen Keller in my classroom, I will be able to share the story of this experience with my students.”

For details on Camp Courage, call the Helen Keller Birthplace at 256-383-4066 or the Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau at 256-383-0783.