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Legally-Blind Massage Therapy Student “Sees Through Her Hands”
Kristi Stone, a Massage Therapy Student at Fremont College in Cerritos, to receive $5,000 CAPPS Memorial Scholarship
Led by Capri, her faithful black Labrador guide dog, Kristi Stone takes the bus every morning at 7:00 a.m. from her Long Beach home to Fremont College in Cerritos, a nationally accredited career college. Although she is legally blind, she is working towards a career in Massage Therapy through Fremont’s diploma program. October 18, however, will be a turning point in her education; the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (“CAPPS”) awarded Kristi one of its four Memorial Scholarships, to be presented at its annual conference in San Diego.
The 2007 theme of the annual CAPPS conference is “No Limits to What We Can Achieve.” Kristi is certainly overcoming any limits she faces. Her intelligence, enthusiasm and passion empower her with a bright vision of her future. She is scheduled to graduate at the top of her Massage Therapy class in October, and currently has a 4.0 GPA.
“The biggest and most important reason as to why I feel led to become a massage therapist is my desire and love for helping people.” After graduation, Kristi hopes to perform massage therapy work at a chiropractic firm while furthering her education with an Associate of Science degree in Sports Therapy at Fremont College. “I came to Fremont College because of its welcoming environment. The College has definitely exceeded my expectations – my class is like a family, and I’ve been learning a lot more academically than I thought I would.”
Health & Wellness Program Director Lance Followell credits Kristi’s success to her patience, dedication, and enthusiasm. “Kristi is always one of the first students in class. She studies hard and does a great job with both the textbook learning and the hands-on massage.” Fellow student Diane Lopes agrees: “We are so happy for her. She has a great heart and great hands, and puts her whole self into the massage. This couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”