Musical performance a success for the visually impaired

The children at the Cooperative Preschool for the Visually Impaired are just like any young kids putting on a Christmas performance. Some sing on cue, some search the audience for their parents, and some are thinking about the treats after their performance. The preschool is part of the Foundation for Blind Children in Phoenix.

And on Friday, the students sang Christmas songs for their parents. The moms and dads pointed and smiled and took pictures. And they cried. But when you watch a group of children sing the Reindeer Pokey while wearing antlers, these are not tears of sadness. "We're just very proud, as any parent would be," said Doug Demaree, who watched daughter Madison perform.

Kevin Hart videotaped his 3-year-old son, Sean: "We are so happy to see him up there, the same as any parent. You are just happy to see them doing so well."Lisa Mickelson has worked at the school for years as an early intervention specialist, which means she sometimes works with babies and their parents as they are just coming to grips with the fact that their child is blind or visually impaired.

"Every year, 14 years now, I cry at the Christmas performance," she said. "The children are doing so well. They have all come so far. It always brings a tear to your eye."