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Ohio.com - Deaf kids gather to have fun, be inspired
Seven-year-old Jared Fiscus walks up to the cooler filled with cold water.
He casually traces the slope of his neck — a movement that many people might not notice.
But at this special camp a staff member immediately recognized the request for a cool drink.
Today, Jared was one of the campers at the first day of the Do It Deaf Summer Youth Program — which brings Northeast Ohio deaf and hard-of-hearing kids together in an environment where their way of communicating is the norm.
Campers, staff members and volunteers use American Sign Language.
''For one time the children don't have to be different because they're going to be like everyone else,'' said Laura K. Shank, a spokeswoman for Greenleaf Family Center in Akron, a nonprofit social service agency that organized the camp.
There was a noisy silence today at Sand Run Metro Park in Akron as the Do It Deaf kickoff day began.
The campers gathered in a big circle on a green field, under a blue sky.
Camp volunteer Stephen J. Hopson, a motivational speaker who calls himself ''The Adversity Coach,'' greeted the children.
He signed, ''I'm deaf, been deaf since I was a little kid.''
Hopson, of Akron, continued, signing, ''What a gorgeous day . . . this camp is all about [activities] being done deaf.''
Every so often, as Hopson and the other adults signed, the campers held their hands up in the air and waved — the sign for applause.
Hopson, who began volunteering with Greenleaf about a year ago, wore a white polo shirt with a small patch that said ''Deaf Pilots Association.''
Two years ago, Hopson became the first deaf pilot to earn an instrument rating from the Federal Aviation Administration.
At Wednesday's event, 16-year-old Miranda Minick quickly donned a neon green Do It Deaf T-shirt handed out to campers.
''A deaf camp is easier,'' she signed. ''American Sign Language is my preferred language. I'm more satisfied communicating in ASL.''
Writing notes back and forth to hearing friends ''gets so hard,'' signed Miranda, who will be a sophomore at Field High School in the fall. ''It's not that I don't like being with my hearing friends. This is just laid back.''
Seventeen-year-old Toni Davis, who will be a senior at Akron's Ellet High school, signed, ''I love socializing with deaf people . . . some do a different way of signing. I understand them, but I'm learning new things everyday.''
Wooster resident Leslie Fiscus, the mother of 7-year-old Jared, signed that she enrolled Jared because he ''can be independent, he can socialize on his own.''
The camp consists of six, day-long summer getaways — two each this month, July and August.
Among the trips will be a visit to Cleveland where campers will perform with the Cleveland Sign Stage, a theatrical company that has deaf performers.
Campers also will visit a Stark County horse-riding camp for children with disabilities.
About 100 kids are expected to participate in the camp. Spaces are still available. For more information, call 330-376-9494, ext. 205, or e-mail Joanna Paxos at jpaxos@greenleafctr.org.
This is the 11th year Greenleaf has organized a summer program for children in Summit, Portage, Medina and Wayne Counties.
Money from Advocates for Kids, a nonprofit in Columbus, pays for the camp.
This year, the Greenleaf camp was combined with those offered by four other Northeast Ohio programs for the deaf. That way, campers get to meet more peers.
Greenleaf's programs for the deaf receive government dollars as well as money from United Way and foundations. It also offers an interpreting service, which generates revenues.
Seven-year-old Jared Fiscus walks up to the cooler filled with cold water.
He casually traces the slope of his neck — a movement that many people might not notice.
But at this special camp a staff member immediately recognized the request for a cool drink.
Today, Jared was one of the campers at the first day of the Do It Deaf Summer Youth Program — which brings Northeast Ohio deaf and hard-of-hearing kids together in an environment where their way of communicating is the norm.
Campers, staff members and volunteers use American Sign Language.
''For one time the children don't have to be different because they're going to be like everyone else,'' said Laura K. Shank, a spokeswoman for Greenleaf Family Center in Akron, a nonprofit social service agency that organized the camp.
There was a noisy silence today at Sand Run Metro Park in Akron as the Do It Deaf kickoff day began.
The campers gathered in a big circle on a green field, under a blue sky.
Camp volunteer Stephen J. Hopson, a motivational speaker who calls himself ''The Adversity Coach,'' greeted the children.
He signed, ''I'm deaf, been deaf since I was a little kid.''
Hopson, of Akron, continued, signing, ''What a gorgeous day . . . this camp is all about [activities] being done deaf.''
Every so often, as Hopson and the other adults signed, the campers held their hands up in the air and waved — the sign for applause.
Hopson, who began volunteering with Greenleaf about a year ago, wore a white polo shirt with a small patch that said ''Deaf Pilots Association.''
Two years ago, Hopson became the first deaf pilot to earn an instrument rating from the Federal Aviation Administration.
At Wednesday's event, 16-year-old Miranda Minick quickly donned a neon green Do It Deaf T-shirt handed out to campers.
''A deaf camp is easier,'' she signed. ''American Sign Language is my preferred language. I'm more satisfied communicating in ASL.''
Writing notes back and forth to hearing friends ''gets so hard,'' signed Miranda, who will be a sophomore at Field High School in the fall. ''It's not that I don't like being with my hearing friends. This is just laid back.''
Seventeen-year-old Toni Davis, who will be a senior at Akron's Ellet High school, signed, ''I love socializing with deaf people . . . some do a different way of signing. I understand them, but I'm learning new things everyday.''
Wooster resident Leslie Fiscus, the mother of 7-year-old Jared, signed that she enrolled Jared because he ''can be independent, he can socialize on his own.''
The camp consists of six, day-long summer getaways — two each this month, July and August.
Among the trips will be a visit to Cleveland where campers will perform with the Cleveland Sign Stage, a theatrical company that has deaf performers.
Campers also will visit a Stark County horse-riding camp for children with disabilities.
About 100 kids are expected to participate in the camp. Spaces are still available. For more information, call 330-376-9494, ext. 205, or e-mail Joanna Paxos at jpaxos@greenleafctr.org.
This is the 11th year Greenleaf has organized a summer program for children in Summit, Portage, Medina and Wayne Counties.
Money from Advocates for Kids, a nonprofit in Columbus, pays for the camp.
This year, the Greenleaf camp was combined with those offered by four other Northeast Ohio programs for the deaf. That way, campers get to meet more peers.
Greenleaf's programs for the deaf receive government dollars as well as money from United Way and foundations. It also offers an interpreting service, which generates revenues.