"I see differently than you do ..." NOT! We live in a world in which sight seems to be our most important sense.

As a sighted person, it is therefore difficult to empathise with a person who is visually impaired or even blind. Uncertainty often prevails when dealing with blind people. A trip to the ElsterPark, for example, allows schoolchildren to change their perspective and experience what it's like to be blind in a fun way. Test your senses on our barrier-free nature trail. Here you can complete the barefoot trail "blind", guess the contents of touch boxes, the smell station and the taste counter, experience a listening memory and finally master a course with a walking stick.

The excursion is expertly accompanied by Denise. She has been blind since birth and works in the registration department and as a telephone operator at DruckHaus der ELSTER WERKE GmbH. She will give an insight into her world and will be on hand with tips on using the cane, interesting facts about Braille - a braille system for the blind - and to share experiences.

Denise, a remarkable woman, (...) gave class 9a with Ms Stawski a unique insight into her life as a blind person on 23 March 2023.

"She took the pupils into a world in which their senses were sharpened in a completely new way. Through playful exercises and discussions, the participants experienced first-hand what it's like not to be able to see."

...

"The students were deeply impressed by Denise's ability to find her way in a world that is completely dark to them. Not only did they learn a lot about living with a disability, but also about the importance of sharpening our senses and focussing on our surroundings."

"Thanks to the ElsterPark "A Day in the Dark" programme, the participants gained a new perspective and were made aware that people with physical disabilities often face special challenges."

"As well as gaining an insight into Denise's life as a blind person, the students also learnt valuable lessons about cooperation and support. (...) to act as a team and help each other.

"Overall, the "A Day in the Dark" programme was a valuable experience for the whole class."

_{(Johanna Bock, 9a)}