The FCCJ SPECT Vol. I I / Spring 1993 RUM Student leader lacks sight but not vision His leadership position and his aggressive cane have earned the South Campusstudent governmentpresidentthe wellmeaning nick- name "Denczar." Denzel Sapp lost his eyesight due to bilateral retinal detachment. Buteven without the ability to see,Sapp's vision for Florida Community College at Jacksonville's South Campus and for his own future has never been more clear. Sappis the studentgovernment president atSouth Campus.He is preparing for adouble major,psychology and mathematics,after he graduatesfrom FCCJ and goestoa university. He hasa 3.73grade point average,and he is the first student tositon the FCCJ Foundation,Inc. Board ofGovernors. For Sapp,losing his vision was not a handicap;it was a motivating force that led to hisenrollment at FCCJ,his leadership positions at the College and his desire to pursue higher goals. "When I lost my eyesight,I was told that I would spend the rest of my life serving coffee in the snack shop ofsome government building,"Sapp said."I didn't want to settle for that." After losing his eyesight two years ago, Sapp said he spent three months"wallowing in self-pity." Florida Community College at Jacksonville is a leader in Florida for providing college educational services to students with disabilities. See story, page two. His physician recommended that he attend the Blind Rehabili- tation Center in Daytona. After going through the center's extensive rehabilitation,Sapp began to realize his capabilities and potential.That was when he began to con- sider college instead of the vending program for blind people. Sapp said he wouldn't want his eyesight back, even ifit were possible."I notice more things now," Sapp said."I used to walk by and barely see a rose. It's another thing to walk by and smell the rose." He said being sightless doesn't necessarily mean you're blind to what's going on around you. Don Hughes,director ofstudent activi- tiesfor FCCJ's South Campus,works closely with Sapp on student government projects and is impressed by Sapp's abilities as a student and as a leader. "What is special about Denzel is not the fact that he is blind. It's that he has taken very trying circumstances in his life and turned those into a positive force,"Hughes said."He has learned to be focused and positive in his life." Sapp is now fondly referred to as "Denczar"by his peers at South Campus.The nickname comes primarily from his leader- ship position,but it may also have something to do with the aggressiveness with which he wields his white cane. Sapp originally came to FCCJ,long before he lost his eyesight,as a high school dropout attempting to get a high school diploma through the College's GED program. After he lost his sight,Sapp came back to FCCJ for counseling in 1991. Advisers determined that with his high test scores,he would be eligible for financial aid through a Pell grant.In the Spring and Summer terms of 1992,Sapp entered college. FCCJ'sdisabled studentservicesdepart- ment providesSapp with the resources he needs to adaptcollege classes to his situation.For Sapp,those resources included a note taker, a talking calculator,talking books and a Braille typewriter. Sapp also takes tests verbally,but his success as a student comesfrom the same dedication as any other successful student. Sapp said he studies a minimum ofsix hours a day. "I want those students whocome after me to benefitfrom what I've been able to do. I want to show there's a better life for people with disabilities,"Sapp said. Sapp's fellow students originally elected him as vice president ofthe Student Govern- ment Association. When the former president ofthe association resigned last year,Sapp became president. Through his involvement with the Student Government Association,Sapp has helped the student body focus on the environ- ment by introducing an anti-litter campaign on campus,adopting a mile off Huffman Road and forming an ecology club.The new group,spearheaded by Sapp,will plant tree saplings along Huffman Road. Sapp plans to transfer to the University of North Florida with an academic scholar- ship.Since his goal is to teach,he'll be eligible for a Perkins loan for teachers. After graduation,he'll teach at a reduced salary for two years until the loan is paid back.But plans for his education don't stop there. Sapp wants to earn a master's degree and eventually a doctorate in psychology,using the psychology in his teaching. "Now is the time for Denzel the student, then there'll be Denzel the teacher and eventually Denzel the retiree,"Sapp said. "You can't let the world put you down because ofa stereotype. You can do it, you just have to do it a little differently to get the same results." When Denzel Sapp lost his eyesight two years ago, he turned his blindness into a motivating force that has led to academic success,leadership positions within the College and a future that he never saw before. , OCR Text: The FCCJ SPECT Vol. I I / Spring 1993 RUM Student leader lacks sight but not vision His leadership position and his aggressive cane have earned the South Campusstudent governmentpresidentthe wellmeaning nick- name "Denczar." Denzel Sapp lost his eyesight due to bilateral retinal detachment. Buteven without the ability to see,Sapp's vision for Florida Community College at Jacksonville's South Campus and for his own future has never been more clear. Sappis the studentgovernment president atSouth Campus.He is preparing for adouble major,psychology and mathematics,after he graduatesfrom FCCJ and goestoa university. He hasa 3.73grade point average,and he is the first student tositon the FCCJ Foundation,Inc. Board ofGovernors. For Sapp,losing his vision was not a handicap;it was a motivating force that led to hisenrollment at FCCJ,his leadership positions at the College and his desire to pursue higher goals. "When I lost my eyesight,I was told that I would spend the rest of my life serving coffee in the snack shop ofsome government building,"Sapp said."I didn't want to settle for that." After losing his eyesight two years ago, Sapp said he spent three months"wallowing in self-pity." Florida Community College at Jacksonville is a leader in Florida for providing college educational services to students with disabilities. See story, page two. His physician recommended that he attend the Blind Rehabili- tation Center in Daytona. After going through the center's extensive rehabilitation,Sapp began to realize his capabilities and potential.That was when he began to con- sider college instead of the vending program for blind people. Sapp said he wouldn't want his eyesight back, even ifit were possible."I notice more things now," Sapp said."I used to walk by and barely see a rose. It's another thing to walk by and smell the rose." He said being sightless doesn't necessarily mean you're blind to what's going on around you. Don Hughes,director ofstudent activi- tiesfor FCCJ's South Campus,works closely with Sapp on student government projects and is impressed by Sapp's abilities as a student and as a leader. "What is special about Denzel is not the fact that he is blind. It's that he has taken very trying circumstances in his life and turned those into a positive force,"Hughes said."He has learned to be focused and positive in his life." Sapp is now fondly referred to as "Denczar"by his peers at South Campus.The nickname comes primarily from his leader- ship position,but it may also have something to do with the aggressiveness with which he wields his white cane. Sapp originally came to FCCJ,long before he lost his eyesight,as a high school dropout attempting to get a high school diploma through the College's GED program. After he lost his sight,Sapp came back to FCCJ for counseling in 1991. Advisers determined that with his high test scores,he would be eligible for financial aid through a Pell grant.In the Spring and Summer terms of 1992,Sapp entered college. FCCJ'sdisabled studentservicesdepart- ment providesSapp with the resources he needs to adaptcollege classes to his situation.For Sapp,those resources included a note taker, a talking calculator,talking books and a Braille typewriter. Sapp also takes tests verbally,but his success as a student comesfrom the same dedication as any other successful student. Sapp said he studies a minimum ofsix hours a day. "I want those students whocome after me to benefitfrom what I've been able to do. I want to show there's a better life for people with disabilities,"Sapp said. Sapp's fellow students originally elected him as vice president ofthe Student Govern- ment Association. When the former president ofthe association resigned last year,Sapp became president. Through his involvement with the Student Government Association,Sapp has helped the student body focus on the environ- ment by introducing an anti-litter campaign on campus,adopting a mile off Huffman Road and forming an ecology club.The new group,spearheaded by Sapp,will plant tree saplings along Huffman Road. Sapp plans to transfer to the University of North Florida with an academic scholar- ship.Since his goal is to teach,he'll be eligible for a Perkins loan for teachers. After graduation,he'll teach at a reduced salary for two years until the loan is paid back.But plans for his education don't stop there. Sapp wants to earn a master's degree and eventually a doctorate in psychology,using the psychology in his teaching. "Now is the time for Denzel the student, then there'll be Denzel the teacher and eventually Denzel the retiree,"Sapp said. "You can't let the world put you down because ofa stereotype. You can do it, you just have to do it a little differently to get the same results." When Denzel Sapp lost his eyesight two years ago, he turned his blindness into a motivating force that has led to academic success,leadership positions within the College and a future that he never saw before. , Z ArchiveInABox,JAX,FCCJ Spectrum,Scans,1993 Spring,1993 Spring 1 Page 1, 1993 Spring 1 Page 1