{"id":9621,"date":"2026-08-30T11:20:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T16:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9621"},"modified":"2026-08-30T11:20:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T16:20:34","slug":"explore-connect-and-grow-students-discover-career-possibilities-at-craguns-resort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9621","title":{"rendered":"Explore, Connect and Grow: Students Discover Career Possibilities at Cragun\u2019s Resort"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8354\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9621-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What happens when career exploration meets lakeside adventure? At State Services for the Blind\u2019s first Career Exploration Adventure Weekend at Cragun\u2019s Resort, blind, low-vision, and DeafBlind students from across Minnesota discovered possibilities, practiced independence, and built friendships. Randi Lasher shares how the three-day event combined customized job shadowing, a career panel, orientation and mobility activities, buffet navigation, networking, and time to connect with peers. Students Sophia and Riley offer candid perspectives on exploring careers, preparing for college, managing busy schedules, and learning to advocate for their futures. Their message to students is simple: you do not need your career figured out, but now is the time to start exploring. For parents, Riley offers an equally important reminder\u2014create opportunities, encourage independence, and never let limited expectations diminish motivation. Hear how one weekend helped students gain confidence, clarify goals, and imagine what may come next for them in school, work, and life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Links of interests:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/deed\/ssb\/teens\/news.jsp\">The Spectacle Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/deed\/ssb\/teens\/\">Youth Services at SSB<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To find out more about the services provided at State Services for the Blind, and what they can do for you, contact Shane DeSantis at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:shane.desantis@state.mn.us\">shane.desantis@state.mn.us<\/a>&nbsp;or call Shane at&nbsp;651-385-5205.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9617\">Full Transcript<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks for listening!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8356\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9621-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/CareerEventBrainerd2026.mp3 What happens when career exploration meets lakeside adventure? At State Services for the Blind\u2019s first Career Exploration Adventure Weekend at Cragun\u2019s Resort, blind, low-vision, and DeafBlind students from across Minnesota discovered possibilities, practiced independence, and built friendships. Randi Lasher shares how the three-day event combined customized job shadowing, a career panel, orientation and mobility [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17,373,263,559],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-career","category-college","category-ssb","post_format-post-format-audio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-2vb","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9640,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9640","url_meta":{"origin":9621,"position":0},"title":"Career Exploration Adventure Weekend: There\u2019s No One Path &#8211; Students Ask Professionals About Careers, Challenges and Success","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"September 13, 2026","format":"audio","excerpt":"Podcast summary: What does a career path really look like? At the Career Exploration Adventure Weekend at Cragun\u2019s Resort in Brainerd, Minnesota, blind, visually impaired, and DeafBlind students got the chance to ask working professionals the questions that matter when you\u2019re thinking about your future. In this lively careers panel,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blind Abilities Logo - White capital letters B and A on black background.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8431,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8431","url_meta":{"origin":9621,"position":1},"title":"Building Career Paths: Insights for Young Adults from SSB&#8217;s Student Career Networking Event","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"October 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB) hosted a Student career networking event for blind and low-vision high school and college students. Students connected with professionals from various industries, gaining insights into career opportunities, overcoming challenges, and building successful paths. A special message from the University of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8180,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8180","url_meta":{"origin":9621,"position":2},"title":"APH Career Connect &#8211; Curated Information and Resources to Help You Choose the Career You Want. Learn About Career and K-9 Connections, Career Conversations, Internships and More!","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"February 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Richard Rueda, Assistant Director of the APH\u00a0ConnectCenter\u00a0and Lori Scharff, Lead Contractor at\u00a0CareerConnect, join Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to let us know about the latest updates at\u00a0\u00a0CareerConnect. Learn about the Career & Canine Connections program where the CareerConnect team and Guide Dogs for the Blind team\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8334,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8334","url_meta":{"origin":9621,"position":3},"title":"Welcome to SSB!","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"July 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Full Transcript In this episode, Peer Ambassadors, Amy and Maddy, introduce themselves and share their personal journeys, detailing how they became connected with State Services for the Blind (SSB). They discuss the support and guidance they received from SSB counselors, including the benefits of having counselors attend IEP\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9301,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9301","url_meta":{"origin":9621,"position":4},"title":"Internships for Students: Real Work, Real Experience, Real Opportunities","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"January 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: This Blind Abilities episode shines a spotlight on internships for blind and low-vision students\u2014and why starting early can open real doors. Tou Yang and Randi Lasher from State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB), break down how high school and college students can access paid and unpaid\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9098,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9098","url_meta":{"origin":9621,"position":5},"title":"Level Up: Building Confidence, Skills, and Futures for Blind and Low Vision Students","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"August 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Envision\u2019s Level Up program is more than a summer camp\u2014it\u2019s a launching pad for blind and visually impaired students stepping into independence, college, and careers. Since 2006, Level Up has combined skill-building with hands-on experiences that prepare students for life beyond high school. From technology training to culinary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9622,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9621\/revisions\/9622"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}