Outward Bound Canada; Student Events

Terry and John were invited to the Greater Victoria school district to present our popular “on the road” event – ASL Activities. 22 students were joined by 8 staff, including TDHHs, EAs, a District Administrator and a couple of parents.

Students said:

 

On Friday, February 9^th, nine students from Cranbrook and Fernie came together at the Cranbrook Board Office for a DHH Art Day! The students were introduced to the graphic novel “El Deafo” written by Cece Bell and got to chat about their own d/Deaf and hard of hearing superpowers! After their discussion and seeing some examples of famous Deaf art, the students began working on their entries for the DHH Proud art showcase. Students mainly chose to create art using markers and pencil crayons. Everyone enjoyed a tasty Subway lunch thanks to POPDHH’s support! Later in the day we played a fun game of “What Am I?” where students had to hold up funny pictures to their faces and try to figure out what animal or person they had. There were lots of laughs and smiles throughout the day! For one of these students it was their first time meeting other DHH students from the area and she was especially excited!
Thanks POPDHH for your support and all you do for our students!

SD43’s middle school aged DHH students have been asking us for this kind of active, competitive get together for a while now, and thanks to POPDHH’s funding, we were able to make it happen this year!

22 students from grades 6-10 from around the district gathered at Planet Lazer to enjoy two laser tag games and a pizza luncheon. The students used many strategies to play efficiently in a very loud, very dark setting. They reported replying on visual skills, turning off or adjusting equipment, using vibrations, and communicating with gestures and signs.

With one game played as a team and one played individually, reports varied in which was the more preferable way to play. Either way, the students were happy to meet and reconnect with other students with hearing loss:

• “I thought it was really fun for one game, but needed a break after that. But I also really liked talking with everyone.” S, grade 8
• “I am sometimes quiet in a group of strangers, but I felt comfortable. Seeing others with hearing loss tells me I’m not alone. That makes me feel better.” N, grade 7
• “It was great as I got to skip classes and it’s also nice to be around people with the same disability.” E, grade 10
• “It was too loud, but I think we all understood and felt the same way.” J, grade 8

On March 6th to 8th we had our second annual DHH camp at Denman Island. Students from several Vancouver Island school districts (Comox, Saanich and Victoria) and the BC school for the Deaf came together to build connections, share amazing experiences and create memories that will last a lifetime. We had more than 30 students attend, and they all participated in a beach scavenger hunt, crafts, and games learning ASL together, and of course, making s’mores by the fire. We had an impromptu ping-pong table top championship that had excited participants communicating with each other in different ways. Feedback from the students was that camp was fun and inclusive, and they wish it would have lasted longer. One student even received the honour of getting a signed name from a Deaf adult. This is something he was waiting for a long time, and had everyone in tears  as he accepted being dubbed his ASL moniker.
A big thank you to Deaf Well-Being Program for sending Geo to lead some thoughtful exercises on reframing our mindset and connecting with students to help them feel safe and included.

 

Students happily provided the following “Customer reviews”:

• “It was so much fun sleeping in bunks with my friends. We laughed so much and played with our flashlights at night. The drive there was also a lot of fun, we laughed as we passed our friends driving in other vehicles.”
• “I enjoyed making new friends from other schools on Vancouver Island. One of the best parts for me was playing volleyball with a soccer ball (because we didn’t have a volleyball) with all my friends.”
• “So many fun things to do at camp! We went to the beach and saw crabs, we tie-dyed shirts, played volleyball, cooked meals for everyone. It was a lot of fun!
• “The journey there was crazy fun. We all laughed a lot in the van while kids were being silly. It was very noisy!’
• “It was so beautiful! On the ride there we went on the ferry and saw lots of seals. We went to the beach at camp Elkhaven and saw even more seals. Some people said they could hear the seals barking. We did a scavenger hunt on the beach and saw lots of shells and cool stuff. We had lots of laughs and played a lot!
• “Campfire was the best! We ate s’mores, drank hot chocolate and watched stories in ASL around the campfire. The jokes were so funny! We walked on the beach and saw birds, (seagulls and eagles) and crabs.”
• “We went to the beach and saw crabs! I screamed! The crabs crawl so fast. Some staff played a funny joke and scared my friend at night, we all laughed.  I enjoyed playing with new and old friends.”
• “I wish that I was in a class with all the kids from camp. I wish they went to my school. We just understand each other.”
• “My favourite experience was being able to see my friends that I only see a couple times a year and making tie dye t-shirts. I wish it had been a day longer!”
• “This would be great if it was longer than two nights”,
• “Can we do this more than once a year?”
• “Can you help me connect with these other students when we get home?”
• “How big a vehicle can you drive so we all can travel together? Can we rent a party bus?”
•  “Is POPDHH going to do ASL level 2 class?” (The answer is Yes, details coming soon!)

 

Three more regional DHH events are happening this year: Camp Elkgrove – Fraser Valley districts, Camp Elkcanoe – Central BC, and Kootenay Konnection at Blue Lake. We will share photos and impressions in our end of school year newsletter.