The Eyes of Me

Gr 9 Up—This documentary is narrated in the first person by the four young blind people profiled. All have been students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI), a public residential school. Each is followed during a typical day, and viewers see how each student navigates dorm rooms, school hallways, and the city streets. The teens also spend some time with their families and mention their family's support of their education. Fifteen-year-old Denise adjusts to being away from home and is determined to go to her first prom. Isaac, a freshman who was blinded in an accident a year earlier, finds himself expelled for improper physical contact with another student. He returns to his hometown high school. TSBVI has given Meagan confidence, and she becomes valedictorian of her graduating class and has big plans for college and beyond. Chas, 17, is focused on writing and performing rap for an album entitled The Eyes of Me, from which this film is titled. He drops out of school and, living on his own, is evicted from his apartment for failure to pay rent. Chas wants to save money to get his own place again and continue with his education. Denise's and Meagan's tales are heartwarming, but the male students' stories are more heart wrenching. The video of the students is supplemented with clever animation that morphs seamlessly from the live-action footage.