Miss-Delectable
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Actor sees good signs of deaf kids' potential
C.J. Jones brought with him to Room 208 at Palm Springs Middle School last week a video diary of his recent adventures, including his safari in Africa and a bungee-jumping expedition.
Being deaf hasn't stopped him from accomplishing anything, he told the class.
"You don't have to be held back just because you're deaf," he said in sign language to the class of nine deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Jones, who has appeared in such television shows as Frasier, Cold Case and Sesame Street, visited three schools last week - Palm Springs Middle, John I. Leonard High and Berkshire Elementary.
His appearance was arranged through VSA Arts of Florida-Palm Beach County and the Skelly Charitable Foundation.
Jones has come to Palm Beach County for the past seven years. In fact, he greeted many of the students by name.
During his presentation, he told the class about a recent presentation he did in Japan. "I know some Japanese words," he said, demonstrating Japanese sign language.
Jones also showed clips from a recent PBS documentary in which he appeared titled Through Deaf Eyes.
Eighth-grader Brigitte Mariano described Jones as "very funny. He's a great actor," she said through an interpreter. "He teases us, and he's very cool.
"He gives us information about educating ourselves and about our goals and our futures."
Jones, who lost his hearing as a child, said he enjoys working with young people. "I see so much potential in their eyes," he said.
In addition to appearing on television and in films, Jones said he wants to start making his own movies. He heads Hands Across Communications, an organization that allows international deaf artists to share their talents, and he founded Sign World TV in 2001 to give deaf entertainers more opportunities.
"Kids around the country are thrilled to see him," said Lori Reed, a sign language interpreter at Palm Springs Middle who previously worked at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
Teacher Kathleen Quilty said the students have few deaf role models. "I wish (CJ) could come every week," she said.
C.J. Jones brought with him to Room 208 at Palm Springs Middle School last week a video diary of his recent adventures, including his safari in Africa and a bungee-jumping expedition.
Being deaf hasn't stopped him from accomplishing anything, he told the class.
"You don't have to be held back just because you're deaf," he said in sign language to the class of nine deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Jones, who has appeared in such television shows as Frasier, Cold Case and Sesame Street, visited three schools last week - Palm Springs Middle, John I. Leonard High and Berkshire Elementary.
His appearance was arranged through VSA Arts of Florida-Palm Beach County and the Skelly Charitable Foundation.
Jones has come to Palm Beach County for the past seven years. In fact, he greeted many of the students by name.
During his presentation, he told the class about a recent presentation he did in Japan. "I know some Japanese words," he said, demonstrating Japanese sign language.
Jones also showed clips from a recent PBS documentary in which he appeared titled Through Deaf Eyes.
Eighth-grader Brigitte Mariano described Jones as "very funny. He's a great actor," she said through an interpreter. "He teases us, and he's very cool.
"He gives us information about educating ourselves and about our goals and our futures."
Jones, who lost his hearing as a child, said he enjoys working with young people. "I see so much potential in their eyes," he said.
In addition to appearing on television and in films, Jones said he wants to start making his own movies. He heads Hands Across Communications, an organization that allows international deaf artists to share their talents, and he founded Sign World TV in 2001 to give deaf entertainers more opportunities.
"Kids around the country are thrilled to see him," said Lori Reed, a sign language interpreter at Palm Springs Middle who previously worked at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
Teacher Kathleen Quilty said the students have few deaf role models. "I wish (CJ) could come every week," she said.