TCS deaf and hard of hearing students attend DFD

Published 2:02 pm Monday, November 20, 2017

THOMASVILLE — Communication without barriers was a key attraction at a recent event held especially for individuals with hearing impairments.

Deaf and hard of hearing students within the Thomas County Schools system attended the Nov. 3 Deaf Field Day event at Valdosta State University. Six districts participated, according to Thomas County Schools’ deaf and hard of hearing teacher Samantha Bruce. The event was open to all ages and communication modalities.

“It is good for them to connect with children that are like them,” Bruce said of her students. “It helps them establish their identity and improves their self-esteem. It’s a great opportunity for them to meet other deaf and hard of hearing students and adults in the community. Most students who are deaf or hard of hearing are isolated because there are not many students like themselves at their school. This gives them an opportunity to meet and socialize freely with others like them.”

The DFD, Bruce adds, is especially positive for students who use sign language to communicate. 

“In their schools, they mostly depend on an interpreter to communicate with others, but at DFD, there are no barriers to communication because everyone involved can sign,” she said. “They are free to talk to whoever they want without having to go through the interpreter.”

According to the official Deaf Field Day website, the event’s mission “is to promote Deaf culture, language development, and social growth for deaf children in South Georgia.”

The event is now in its third year, and the county school system has taken students every year. Bruce said her students love the trip and look forward to it each year.

“Some of them have friends from other school systems that they only see at DFD,” she said. “It was great to watch each of their unique personalities and how they participated in the activities and made new friends. I love the open communication and that all the volunteers who work at the event match each kid’s communication mode.”

Students who attended the trip are likewise impressed by the event and its volunteers. Favorite parts of the day they mentioned included playing baseball, rock painting, learning to use the bow and arrow, meeting deaf title holders like Miss Deaf America, and the nice volunteers.

The most popular, and important, part of the day was the opportunity for participants to freely communicate with others.

“It made me feel that I am accepted and more welcome, and I can communicate better, and I can help other people that don’t understand sometimes,” one female participant, 17, said. “Some people don’t understand me, and sometimes I need to talk to others.”

For information on DFD, visit the official website at deaf-field-day.webnode.com/.