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CNN Live Saturday

A New Perspective

Aired May 10, 2003 - 14:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: For many high school students, taking a campus tour is an important step in choosing a college, right? Well, at one school in Pennsylvania, prospective students are learning more than just how to find their way around. Reporter Wendy Davis of CNN affiliate WFMZ has this unusual story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHELLEY RHODES, TOUR GUIDE: On campus, we have a whole variety of, like, choruses (ph)...

WENDY DAVIS, WFMZ CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): College tours like this one at Kutztown University are in full swing this time of year.

RHODES: You know, flowers blooming. And trees blooming, and birds are back.

We're going to take a right.

DAVIS: And it's tour guide Shelley Rhodes' job to show all this to prospective students and their parents, as well as to point out all the campus sites.

RHODES: Over here to the right is the president's house.

DAVIS: Which is quite a job, especially considering Shelley's never actually seen any of it herself.

RHODES: I was born with a visual impairment, but I was always legally blind, even since I was born.

DAVIS: But with her dog, Judson (ph), by her side, Shelley has become one of KU's most popular guides. I might not exactly comment on how beautiful our buildings are, or that nice statute (UNINTELLIGIBLE), because I honestly don't know what it looks like, but I know it's there.

DAVIS: Today she's taking high school junior Nicki Mitchell (ph) and her mom Laurie (ph) around.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm amazed that she can just talk about all the buildings, yet she doesn't really see them.

DAVIS: But she has had a lot of practice. As a junior, Shelley's now given more than 400 tours.

RHODES: Usually, it's kind of -- they're apprehensive at first. But usually by the end of the tour, they're OK with it.

DAVIS (on camera): And although Shelley can't bring attention to some of the campus' beauty, like its blooming trees and architecture, she does feel that she offers a different perspective that make her tours unique.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely. This is our first college visit, and it is very memorable.

I don't think we'll have another one like this.

DAVIS (voice-over): In Kutztown, Pennsylvania, Wendy Davis, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired May 10, 2003 - 14:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: For many high school students, taking a campus tour is an important step in choosing a college, right? Well, at one school in Pennsylvania, prospective students are learning more than just how to find their way around. Reporter Wendy Davis of CNN affiliate WFMZ has this unusual story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHELLEY RHODES, TOUR GUIDE: On campus, we have a whole variety of, like, choruses (ph)...

WENDY DAVIS, WFMZ CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): College tours like this one at Kutztown University are in full swing this time of year.

RHODES: You know, flowers blooming. And trees blooming, and birds are back.

We're going to take a right.

DAVIS: And it's tour guide Shelley Rhodes' job to show all this to prospective students and their parents, as well as to point out all the campus sites.

RHODES: Over here to the right is the president's house.

DAVIS: Which is quite a job, especially considering Shelley's never actually seen any of it herself.

RHODES: I was born with a visual impairment, but I was always legally blind, even since I was born.

DAVIS: But with her dog, Judson (ph), by her side, Shelley has become one of KU's most popular guides. I might not exactly comment on how beautiful our buildings are, or that nice statute (UNINTELLIGIBLE), because I honestly don't know what it looks like, but I know it's there.

DAVIS: Today she's taking high school junior Nicki Mitchell (ph) and her mom Laurie (ph) around.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm amazed that she can just talk about all the buildings, yet she doesn't really see them.

DAVIS: But she has had a lot of practice. As a junior, Shelley's now given more than 400 tours.

RHODES: Usually, it's kind of -- they're apprehensive at first. But usually by the end of the tour, they're OK with it.

DAVIS (on camera): And although Shelley can't bring attention to some of the campus' beauty, like its blooming trees and architecture, she does feel that she offers a different perspective that make her tours unique.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely. This is our first college visit, and it is very memorable.

I don't think we'll have another one like this.

DAVIS (voice-over): In Kutztown, Pennsylvania, Wendy Davis, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com