Discovering Deaf Worlds

David Justice and Davin Searls from Discovering Deaf Worlds (DDW) presented an assembly for an audience of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students on the Friday before a vacation. The presentation featured the work DDW has been doing around the world to support deaf people. The auditorium was full, with about 300 students and teachers in attendance. The message to our students was to appreciate the diverse talents of all people, to appreciate their own gifts and to realize how fortunate we are to live in this country and community.

The presenters used a mix of video clips, pictures, maps in their energetic presentation, to share a social justice message and demonstrate that the actions of a few caring people can make the difference in the lives of so many. Their encounter around the world include:

• deaf villagers in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal
• deaf artists and dancers in China
• deaf business owners in Japan
• deaf/interpreter combined schools in Thailand
• the original cochlear implant factory in Australia, and
• deaf children who once lived on the streets in India

One teacher wrote reported after the assembly:

I enjoyed the assembly very much. The information was basic and it was well presented and moved at a good pace. I also compliment our students. They were very well behaved on the last day before a vacation.

Thanks to the Brighton Education Fund and to the family who, through a targeted donation, made this assembly possible.

Rob Thomas
Principal, TCMS
April 17, 2010

Brighton Education Fund
c/o Brighton Schools, 2035 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, New York 14618
voice (585) 461-0434     fax (208) 975-7494