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Hometown Weekly Publications
In 2006, Sherborn resident Benjamin Urmston traveled to Antarctica as a General Assistant for Raytheon Polar Services Company. He traveled the continent, exploring such remote locales as Taylor Dome, where the average temperature hovers around negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This year, Urmston took on a new challenge at The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham, MA. At The Learning Center, Urmston coached students in soccer and learned to speak American Sign Language (ASL), fluently.
Currently, Urmston is itching to embark on a new adventure with the students at The Learning Center, a journey that will bring Urmston and a group of 16 and 17-year-olds out onto the waters off the coast of Maine for a weeklong Outward Bound sailing program. The students will sail a 30-foot open wooden sailboat and will learn how to traverse Maine's intricate and indented shoreline, exploring bays, harbors and islands during their voyage. Along the way, they will not only learn the ways of the sea, but also a little bit more about themselves.
Urmston has spent the last seven years working for Outward Bound, a company that offers youths courses that bring them into the great outdoors and tests their limits. When he began working at The Learning Center last fall, Urmston realized how much the school's students would benefit from an Outward Bound program.
Thus, Urmston set about designing an Outward Bound course specifically tailored for deaf students. The premiere course will kick off this summer, running from July 28th-August 3rd.
Currently, six students are signed up for the program, however, Outward Bound requires at least eight students be enrolled in each program. Therefore, Urmston is looking to raise funds to help fund at least two more students' trips and is asking local residents for help.
Originally, Urmston got the idea for the course when he noticed the lack of available outdoor programming and activities for deaf students.
"(Deaf) kids don't have as many opportunities (like Outward Bound) as hearing kids do and that made me want to pursue the idea more," explained Urmston. "I've seen from working with Outward Bound the change that can happen when someone challenges themselves and each other in a unique environment. Outward Bound gets you away from social norms like having a telephone and TV and cell phones always at your side and into a more natural and wild environment. It brings out the best in people and (participants) take that experience and really apply it to their home life."
While there are certain programs out there designed specifically for deaf youngsters, costs for such programs tend to run extremely high, as a separate interpreter has to be hired to communicate with the children. By serving as both the Outward Bound course-leader and interpreter, Urmston has been able to create a less expensive course and one that students will feel more secure on, as they will be able to directly communicate with their instructor.
Urmston feels the program will not only teach Learning Center students skills such as navigation, team-work and leadership, but will also have a positive influence on their self-esteem.
According to Urmston, Outward Bound is a "big self-confidence booster. There are many times I've heard kids say at end of a course they are going to go home and do things they never thought possible because they remember the experience of finishing a rock climb or not thinking they could continue sailing on a wet, rainy day and they did. Kids push their boundaries on the course and they tend to remember that."
Additionally, students will learn about giving back to the community, as each Outward Bound course incorporates a service project.
Tuition for the weeklong sailing course is $630 per student. While students who are looking to sign-up for the program are already leading fundraising campaigns, Urmston is looking to help defray costs for these students and ensure that he can take a ship-full of Learning Center students out onto the waters at the end of the month. Urmston is hoping to raise around $1,800 and is turning to Dover and Sherborn residents for assistance.
If you want to help these students and Outward Bound's Deaf programming, send what you can made out to Outward Bound, to Benjamin Urmston, 79 Hollis Street, Sherborn, MA 01770. In return for a donation you will receive a DVD and a letter describing the highlights of the course.
In 2006, Sherborn resident Benjamin Urmston traveled to Antarctica as a General Assistant for Raytheon Polar Services Company. He traveled the continent, exploring such remote locales as Taylor Dome, where the average temperature hovers around negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This year, Urmston took on a new challenge at The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham, MA. At The Learning Center, Urmston coached students in soccer and learned to speak American Sign Language (ASL), fluently.
Currently, Urmston is itching to embark on a new adventure with the students at The Learning Center, a journey that will bring Urmston and a group of 16 and 17-year-olds out onto the waters off the coast of Maine for a weeklong Outward Bound sailing program. The students will sail a 30-foot open wooden sailboat and will learn how to traverse Maine's intricate and indented shoreline, exploring bays, harbors and islands during their voyage. Along the way, they will not only learn the ways of the sea, but also a little bit more about themselves.
Urmston has spent the last seven years working for Outward Bound, a company that offers youths courses that bring them into the great outdoors and tests their limits. When he began working at The Learning Center last fall, Urmston realized how much the school's students would benefit from an Outward Bound program.
Thus, Urmston set about designing an Outward Bound course specifically tailored for deaf students. The premiere course will kick off this summer, running from July 28th-August 3rd.
Currently, six students are signed up for the program, however, Outward Bound requires at least eight students be enrolled in each program. Therefore, Urmston is looking to raise funds to help fund at least two more students' trips and is asking local residents for help.
Originally, Urmston got the idea for the course when he noticed the lack of available outdoor programming and activities for deaf students.
"(Deaf) kids don't have as many opportunities (like Outward Bound) as hearing kids do and that made me want to pursue the idea more," explained Urmston. "I've seen from working with Outward Bound the change that can happen when someone challenges themselves and each other in a unique environment. Outward Bound gets you away from social norms like having a telephone and TV and cell phones always at your side and into a more natural and wild environment. It brings out the best in people and (participants) take that experience and really apply it to their home life."
While there are certain programs out there designed specifically for deaf youngsters, costs for such programs tend to run extremely high, as a separate interpreter has to be hired to communicate with the children. By serving as both the Outward Bound course-leader and interpreter, Urmston has been able to create a less expensive course and one that students will feel more secure on, as they will be able to directly communicate with their instructor.
Urmston feels the program will not only teach Learning Center students skills such as navigation, team-work and leadership, but will also have a positive influence on their self-esteem.
According to Urmston, Outward Bound is a "big self-confidence booster. There are many times I've heard kids say at end of a course they are going to go home and do things they never thought possible because they remember the experience of finishing a rock climb or not thinking they could continue sailing on a wet, rainy day and they did. Kids push their boundaries on the course and they tend to remember that."
Additionally, students will learn about giving back to the community, as each Outward Bound course incorporates a service project.
Tuition for the weeklong sailing course is $630 per student. While students who are looking to sign-up for the program are already leading fundraising campaigns, Urmston is looking to help defray costs for these students and ensure that he can take a ship-full of Learning Center students out onto the waters at the end of the month. Urmston is hoping to raise around $1,800 and is turning to Dover and Sherborn residents for assistance.
If you want to help these students and Outward Bound's Deaf programming, send what you can made out to Outward Bound, to Benjamin Urmston, 79 Hollis Street, Sherborn, MA 01770. In return for a donation you will receive a DVD and a letter describing the highlights of the course.