Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
http://www.mainstreetnews.com/2007/August/M0802D.html
Most people take being able to communicate with those around them for granted, but the Self family of Hull has never had that luxury.
For them, being a deaf family in a largely hearing world is a day-to-day challenge where even simple things like going to a doctor’s office often present a struggle to be understood.
But despite those challenges, Mike and Sherrill Self and their three kids are just like most families – they enjoy spending time together, attending church, sports events and other activities while all leading productive, independent lives.
DEAF CULTURE
The Selfs refer to the deaf person’s ways of coping with life in a silent world as “deaf culture,” and they say most “hearing people” don’t understand the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.
Mr. and Mrs. Self met as students at the Georgia School for the Deaf (GSF) and married in 1978.
As a child, Mr. Self was the only member of his family without the ability to hear, which made it difficult for him to be understood. At the age of eight, he was enrolled in the GSD and learned American Sign Language (ASL) while there. At home on visits, Mr. Self taught his sister, Yvonne, ASL so the two could communicate and she could interpret for him. His deafness is not hereditary.
Mrs. Self, on the other hand, grew up in a family where most everyone on her mother’s side of the family was deaf. Her dad was also deaf, having lost his hearing to a childhood bout of meningitis.
After their marriage, they both worked for a while at an Atlanta post office, eventually transferring to Athens.
“We were the first deaf employees at a post office in Athens,” Mr. Self said.
Both have always had a desire to help those around them understand deaf culture. “We’re just like everyone else,” Mrs. Self said.
HIGH ACHIEVERS
Two of the Self’s three children are also deaf, while their middle child Dana Self Brown, 21, is considered “hard of hearing.” Despite this, all three children are high achievers who, like their parents, haven’t let their impairment stop them from setting goals for themselves.
Their eldest daughter, Krystle Self Wilson, 23, is working toward a degree in medical coding. Her husband Randy is also deaf, but their infant daughter Kallissa has passed preliminary hearing tests.
Krystle competed in and won the “Miss Deaf Georgia” pageant in 2001. She credits both her parents and the non-profit group Visual Effects, Inc. with giving her the confidence and drive to compete in the pageant.
Dana has set her sights on the medical field and is working toward a degree as a registered nurse. She plans to make full use of adaptive technology, such as a digital or enhanced stethoscope, which will enable her to do her job as well as anyone else. She also plans to serve as an interpreter for hearing impaired patients, while educating those around her about deaf culture.
The Self’s youngest child, Shawn, 18, is an avid football and basketball player and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in both sports at GSD his senior year. Now he plans to enter Georgia Highlands College in the fall with an eye toward becoming an English teacher and coach at GSD.
“We’re luckier than most (hearing disabled) people – we’ve had devoted parents who’ve fought hard for us,” Dana said.
“We’re smart because we’ve had them behind us all the way.”
TIRELESS ADVOCATES
“The toughest thing is visiting a doctor’s office,” Mrs. Self said through her friend and interpreter, Tammy Bowen. “Often they don’t understand what we’re asking for or they may not want to pay a fee for an interpreter for us.”
“We have to educate everybody, everyday,” Krystle agreed. She went on to explain that even choosing a place to worship can be a challenge. “We’re limited in even that, because we need an interpreter,” she said.
While they were young, all three children attended speech class at the University of Georgia, which Mrs. Self said was a tremendous help for them.
The Selfs explained that for the deaf, learning how to speak English is like learning a second language – ASL is their first language.
But neither parent wanted to see their children isolated from society in any way. “It was important for us for them to be able to be a part of mainstream society and be able to join in …we wanted them to show people what they can do,” Mrs. Self said. “It’s neat to know that now a lot of high schools are encouraging ASL in their curriculum.
Bowen, a speech therapist for Madison County Board of Education’s student services, said that ASL is a language all its own - sort of like a visual “shorthand” that can make learning proper sentence structure verbally daunting.
Krystle agreed and said this may be why some have the preconceived notion that deaf people are “slow.”
Dana said many people are curious about how the deaf can perform everyday tasks, such as driving. “That’s one of the most asked questions,” she said, though studies show the deaf actually have better overall driving records than their hearing counterparts.
Each family member carries a laminated license-plate size card in their vehicles which were provided for them by the Center for Hearing Loss. The cards can be used in the event of a traffic stop or accident.
Video phones made by Sorenson VSL are also available to deaf persons at no charge in areas where high-speed DSL is offered and installed. The video phones, which are mounted on a regular television, allow deaf persons to communicate visually by phone. Otherwise a phone relay system using an interpreter must be used. Since most 911 call centers are not equipped with video phones, this can potentially slow reaction time to 911 calls.
“We have to work to educate everyone, everyday,” Krystle said.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Mike and Sherrill Self and Tammy Bowen are active promoters and board members of the non-profit group Visual Effects, Inc., an educational agency that promotes deaf awareness in schools, communities and churches. The Selfs three children have all served as volunteers as well. Visual Effects was the brainchild of Judi Oliver, a hearing person who grew up with deaf family members and friends and who learned sign language at age 7. “She has a heart for deaf people,” Mrs. Self said. Oliver became a speech therapist and envisioned Visual Effects as a way to bring deaf people together.
The organization is holding a fundraiser on August 25 to raise funds for Camp D.O.V.E. (Deaf Outreach through Visual Effects), a retreat that provides an opportunity for deaf and hard-of-hearing youth to share a unique camping experience in a Christian environment. The fundraiser is called an afternoon of “dinner and comedy” with special guest Kathy Buckley to be held at the Oconee Civic Center at 266 Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville. Buckley has been billed as “America’s First Hearing Impaired Comedienne,” who has appeared on numerous television shows, such as the Tonight Show (The Official Web Site of Kathy Buckley - America's Hearing Impaired Comedienne, Actress, Motivational Speaker and Humanitarian).
According to a Visual Effects brochure, Camp D.O.V.E.’s program “offers the opportunity for all campers ages 8 to 15, deaf and hearing alike, to experience fun and fellowship in the common bonds of ASL (American Sign Language).”
Campers enjoy a variety of activities like horseback riding, arts and crafts, canoeing, talent shows and games.
But Visual Effects is much more than a camp. The non-profit organization began as a performing arts company in 1991 with six deaf actors and four hearing ones who have since presented hundreds of performances throughout the southeast in churches, schools and theaters that incorporate ASL, music, dance and drama.
Visual Effects also established Deaf Community Fellowship (DCF) to provide a protestant non-denominational Bible study in ASL as well as fellowship through social activities.
Since 1998, Visual Effects has provided on-going ASL classes for the community at a minimal charge (the classes are free to parents of deaf children). This is a cooperative project with the Athens Sertoma Club. Visual Effects has also conducted numerous workshops on such things as deaf etiquette and basic ASL for area businesses, organizations, colleges and churches.
“Like a family tree, each of the four branches of the organization have grown – it’s really a blessing from God,” Mrs. Self said.
Most people take being able to communicate with those around them for granted, but the Self family of Hull has never had that luxury.
For them, being a deaf family in a largely hearing world is a day-to-day challenge where even simple things like going to a doctor’s office often present a struggle to be understood.
But despite those challenges, Mike and Sherrill Self and their three kids are just like most families – they enjoy spending time together, attending church, sports events and other activities while all leading productive, independent lives.
DEAF CULTURE
The Selfs refer to the deaf person’s ways of coping with life in a silent world as “deaf culture,” and they say most “hearing people” don’t understand the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.
Mr. and Mrs. Self met as students at the Georgia School for the Deaf (GSF) and married in 1978.
As a child, Mr. Self was the only member of his family without the ability to hear, which made it difficult for him to be understood. At the age of eight, he was enrolled in the GSD and learned American Sign Language (ASL) while there. At home on visits, Mr. Self taught his sister, Yvonne, ASL so the two could communicate and she could interpret for him. His deafness is not hereditary.
Mrs. Self, on the other hand, grew up in a family where most everyone on her mother’s side of the family was deaf. Her dad was also deaf, having lost his hearing to a childhood bout of meningitis.
After their marriage, they both worked for a while at an Atlanta post office, eventually transferring to Athens.
“We were the first deaf employees at a post office in Athens,” Mr. Self said.
Both have always had a desire to help those around them understand deaf culture. “We’re just like everyone else,” Mrs. Self said.
HIGH ACHIEVERS
Two of the Self’s three children are also deaf, while their middle child Dana Self Brown, 21, is considered “hard of hearing.” Despite this, all three children are high achievers who, like their parents, haven’t let their impairment stop them from setting goals for themselves.
Their eldest daughter, Krystle Self Wilson, 23, is working toward a degree in medical coding. Her husband Randy is also deaf, but their infant daughter Kallissa has passed preliminary hearing tests.
Krystle competed in and won the “Miss Deaf Georgia” pageant in 2001. She credits both her parents and the non-profit group Visual Effects, Inc. with giving her the confidence and drive to compete in the pageant.
Dana has set her sights on the medical field and is working toward a degree as a registered nurse. She plans to make full use of adaptive technology, such as a digital or enhanced stethoscope, which will enable her to do her job as well as anyone else. She also plans to serve as an interpreter for hearing impaired patients, while educating those around her about deaf culture.
The Self’s youngest child, Shawn, 18, is an avid football and basketball player and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in both sports at GSD his senior year. Now he plans to enter Georgia Highlands College in the fall with an eye toward becoming an English teacher and coach at GSD.
“We’re luckier than most (hearing disabled) people – we’ve had devoted parents who’ve fought hard for us,” Dana said.
“We’re smart because we’ve had them behind us all the way.”
TIRELESS ADVOCATES
“The toughest thing is visiting a doctor’s office,” Mrs. Self said through her friend and interpreter, Tammy Bowen. “Often they don’t understand what we’re asking for or they may not want to pay a fee for an interpreter for us.”
“We have to educate everybody, everyday,” Krystle agreed. She went on to explain that even choosing a place to worship can be a challenge. “We’re limited in even that, because we need an interpreter,” she said.
While they were young, all three children attended speech class at the University of Georgia, which Mrs. Self said was a tremendous help for them.
The Selfs explained that for the deaf, learning how to speak English is like learning a second language – ASL is their first language.
But neither parent wanted to see their children isolated from society in any way. “It was important for us for them to be able to be a part of mainstream society and be able to join in …we wanted them to show people what they can do,” Mrs. Self said. “It’s neat to know that now a lot of high schools are encouraging ASL in their curriculum.
Bowen, a speech therapist for Madison County Board of Education’s student services, said that ASL is a language all its own - sort of like a visual “shorthand” that can make learning proper sentence structure verbally daunting.
Krystle agreed and said this may be why some have the preconceived notion that deaf people are “slow.”
Dana said many people are curious about how the deaf can perform everyday tasks, such as driving. “That’s one of the most asked questions,” she said, though studies show the deaf actually have better overall driving records than their hearing counterparts.
Each family member carries a laminated license-plate size card in their vehicles which were provided for them by the Center for Hearing Loss. The cards can be used in the event of a traffic stop or accident.
Video phones made by Sorenson VSL are also available to deaf persons at no charge in areas where high-speed DSL is offered and installed. The video phones, which are mounted on a regular television, allow deaf persons to communicate visually by phone. Otherwise a phone relay system using an interpreter must be used. Since most 911 call centers are not equipped with video phones, this can potentially slow reaction time to 911 calls.
“We have to work to educate everyone, everyday,” Krystle said.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Mike and Sherrill Self and Tammy Bowen are active promoters and board members of the non-profit group Visual Effects, Inc., an educational agency that promotes deaf awareness in schools, communities and churches. The Selfs three children have all served as volunteers as well. Visual Effects was the brainchild of Judi Oliver, a hearing person who grew up with deaf family members and friends and who learned sign language at age 7. “She has a heart for deaf people,” Mrs. Self said. Oliver became a speech therapist and envisioned Visual Effects as a way to bring deaf people together.
The organization is holding a fundraiser on August 25 to raise funds for Camp D.O.V.E. (Deaf Outreach through Visual Effects), a retreat that provides an opportunity for deaf and hard-of-hearing youth to share a unique camping experience in a Christian environment. The fundraiser is called an afternoon of “dinner and comedy” with special guest Kathy Buckley to be held at the Oconee Civic Center at 266 Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville. Buckley has been billed as “America’s First Hearing Impaired Comedienne,” who has appeared on numerous television shows, such as the Tonight Show (The Official Web Site of Kathy Buckley - America's Hearing Impaired Comedienne, Actress, Motivational Speaker and Humanitarian).
According to a Visual Effects brochure, Camp D.O.V.E.’s program “offers the opportunity for all campers ages 8 to 15, deaf and hearing alike, to experience fun and fellowship in the common bonds of ASL (American Sign Language).”
Campers enjoy a variety of activities like horseback riding, arts and crafts, canoeing, talent shows and games.
But Visual Effects is much more than a camp. The non-profit organization began as a performing arts company in 1991 with six deaf actors and four hearing ones who have since presented hundreds of performances throughout the southeast in churches, schools and theaters that incorporate ASL, music, dance and drama.
Visual Effects also established Deaf Community Fellowship (DCF) to provide a protestant non-denominational Bible study in ASL as well as fellowship through social activities.
Since 1998, Visual Effects has provided on-going ASL classes for the community at a minimal charge (the classes are free to parents of deaf children). This is a cooperative project with the Athens Sertoma Club. Visual Effects has also conducted numerous workshops on such things as deaf etiquette and basic ASL for area businesses, organizations, colleges and churches.
“Like a family tree, each of the four branches of the organization have grown – it’s really a blessing from God,” Mrs. Self said.