May 31, 2001 – Four V.I. teen-agers with hearing disabilities are looking forward to a unique two-week experience in June: attending the summer sports program of the Gallaudet School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C.
The youngsters, all Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School students, are Kisias George, 15, Jaliya Anderson, 15, Rennick Etienne, 14, and Willie Payne, 14. All were smiling broadly and signing rapidly Thursday afternoon as they witnessed the receipt of a $1,000 check from St. Thomas Rotary East to help sponsor their excursion.
Carolyn Smith, acting executive director of the V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled, held her hand over her heart as she thanked Rotarian Ruth Miller for the donation, gazing proudly at the delighted teen-agers. "We're so proud, so happy," Smith said with emotion, waving away further comment as the students' teacher, Sarah Hancock, signed the comments for them.
Jaliya then stepped shyly over to Miller and gave her a thank-you card about 2 feet tall with a bright yellow and blue seascape on the cover. "Thank you," said the inside message in part, "for making a donation to our summer camp. You will help four deaf people. Do you like the picture on the front of your card? It is my own art style."
The group has raised all but $600 of the funds needed for the trip. Rotary II also provided $1,000 donation, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands awarded a mini-grant, and American Airlines provided discounted fares.
The four even perform together as a quartet. Known as the "BCB Deaf-fun Signers," they will present a spring concert of silent songs in the middle school auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 4. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children.
Miller and Hancock have served as the youngsters' mentors for several years. At BCB, where Hancock teaches, the students are enrolled in regular classes. Principal Carver Farrow described the four collectively as "a joy" and said he'll "be so sorry to see those kids go, along with Sarah." After the teens graduate in June, Hancock will stay with them as their teacher when they move on to high school.
"They are integrated in the school in every respect," Farrow said. "Last year they learned to play the steelpans, and Willie is ahead of everybody in his drafting class. I don't mean by a couple points; I mean head and shoulders."
Willie was disappointed to learn that he wouldn't get to play soccer at the camp, but allowed as how basketball was going to be OK. Kisias doesn't care all that much about the sports. "I want to meet deaf people," she said with a big grin.
In a fund-raising statement, the students describe themselves as "an isolated group of four deaf teen-agers on St. Thomas." They may be isolated in their inability to hear, but their excitement about the coming trip was all-embracing. "What's that new word we learned?" Hancock asked them by signing, then answered, "Oh yes, eager."
Smith said the fact that there are so few deaf teens on the island will make the summer camp all the more valuable for the young people.
They are scheduled to leave the territory on June 17 for the two-week program. Anyone interested in offering additional support may obtain further information by calling Sarah Hancock at 775-3806.