Miss-Delectable
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The Abilene Reflector-Chronicle - Abilene, KS
Students giggling on a school bus is an everyday occurrence but one special student has a deeper understanding thanks to the efforts of several local youth.
Holly Brumbalow, a senior who attends Salina special needs cooperative, is deaf. Kialyn Anderson, 12, a seventh-grader at Abilene Middle School who also rides the bus, and Parker O’Neal, 9, a fourth-grader, both used sign language to ask Brumbalow how she was doing. The deaf student smiled and through sign language told Anderson and O’Neal that she “was doing fine.”
Anderson had an interest in sign language. Her mother’s best friend had a child who doctors ruled was deaf at the age of seven months. The closeness of those families led her mother to buy a book on sign language and Kialyn and her mother learned some of the basics.
Bus driver Bev Riffel does not know sign language herself, but was thankful that she had at least one student who was familiar with the subject.
“When I first found out that a special needs student would be on my bus, my thoughts were, how would my students relate to her and how would she relate to them?” Riffel said.
During the first week of school, Anderson asked the bus driver if Brumbalow knew sign language.
“I said I did not know, but she could try to do some signs with her,” Riffel explained. “Well, Holly did and Kialyn has a sign language book, which she now brings on the bus.”
Riffel said it was a fascinating exchange and the smile on Holly’s face was an indicator that the two students were able to communicate.
Anderson remembers the first time they started to communicate when school started about three weeks ago.
“It was weird at first,” Kialyn said about Brumbalow’s reaction, which was probably the result of her world being silent when she was with regular students.
“She (Holly) made a lot of noise and smiled and?I know she felt good,” Kialyn explained.
With regular communication, Anderson also gained an appreciation for Brumbalow as she likes how the teen smiles and warms up.
“She has become one of my good friends,” Kialyn said.
Anderson said it is a challenge, but she is glad she volunteered. Her work rubbed off on O’Neal.
“I think it is hard,” O’Neal said about whether it would be difficult to communicate without being able to hear. “I think ‘how are you’ is the easiest to communicate.”
Anderson said O’Neal came to her house and started to learn sign language.
Kialyn said the success over the past three weeks has continued to spur her interest in sign language.
“If we point our fingers to our mouths, Holly we’ll act like we need to be quiet and she’ll smile and act like she’s throwing away the keys.”
Brumbalow is transported to and from Salina by Kari Beetch, another bus driver. Beetch takes her to Abilene Middle School where Holly is then put on Riffel’s bus and she is taken to Holland to stay with a sitter.
Riffel said Brumbalow enjoys the communication from other students in her language.
“You see her eyes light up and she gets a big smile on her face,” Riffel said. “She will make a noise when the excitement occurs, then the students will have to give her the sign to be a bit more quiet. God tells us to show kindness, care for one another, as well as love one another. I see this on my bus and every day.
“My students did not learn this on their own and I just want to thank their parents raising a child in a loving way, as this will stay with them the rest of their lives,” the driver said. “Who knows, maybe a special needs teacher may come from this.”
“I’m so thankful. I’m pleased with the kids that they want to interact. It’s not a chore for them,” Riffel said, about the students on the bus. “Kailyn was a Godsend for us.”
A typical conversation, Anderson said, is signing a message of “how are you?” and Brumbalow will respond with “good.”
O’Neal has noticed over the weeks that Brumbalow has relaxed. Other students on the bus earlier this week included Brian Wilson, 15, a sophomore; Kevin Wilson, 10, a fifth-grader; Madison Ferguson, 10, a fifth-grader; and Molly Myers, 10, a fourth-grader.
They listened as Anderson and O’Neal communicated with Brumbalow.
Students giggling on a school bus is an everyday occurrence but one special student has a deeper understanding thanks to the efforts of several local youth.
Holly Brumbalow, a senior who attends Salina special needs cooperative, is deaf. Kialyn Anderson, 12, a seventh-grader at Abilene Middle School who also rides the bus, and Parker O’Neal, 9, a fourth-grader, both used sign language to ask Brumbalow how she was doing. The deaf student smiled and through sign language told Anderson and O’Neal that she “was doing fine.”
Anderson had an interest in sign language. Her mother’s best friend had a child who doctors ruled was deaf at the age of seven months. The closeness of those families led her mother to buy a book on sign language and Kialyn and her mother learned some of the basics.
Bus driver Bev Riffel does not know sign language herself, but was thankful that she had at least one student who was familiar with the subject.
“When I first found out that a special needs student would be on my bus, my thoughts were, how would my students relate to her and how would she relate to them?” Riffel said.
During the first week of school, Anderson asked the bus driver if Brumbalow knew sign language.
“I said I did not know, but she could try to do some signs with her,” Riffel explained. “Well, Holly did and Kialyn has a sign language book, which she now brings on the bus.”
Riffel said it was a fascinating exchange and the smile on Holly’s face was an indicator that the two students were able to communicate.
Anderson remembers the first time they started to communicate when school started about three weeks ago.
“It was weird at first,” Kialyn said about Brumbalow’s reaction, which was probably the result of her world being silent when she was with regular students.
“She (Holly) made a lot of noise and smiled and?I know she felt good,” Kialyn explained.
With regular communication, Anderson also gained an appreciation for Brumbalow as she likes how the teen smiles and warms up.
“She has become one of my good friends,” Kialyn said.
Anderson said it is a challenge, but she is glad she volunteered. Her work rubbed off on O’Neal.
“I think it is hard,” O’Neal said about whether it would be difficult to communicate without being able to hear. “I think ‘how are you’ is the easiest to communicate.”
Anderson said O’Neal came to her house and started to learn sign language.
Kialyn said the success over the past three weeks has continued to spur her interest in sign language.
“If we point our fingers to our mouths, Holly we’ll act like we need to be quiet and she’ll smile and act like she’s throwing away the keys.”
Brumbalow is transported to and from Salina by Kari Beetch, another bus driver. Beetch takes her to Abilene Middle School where Holly is then put on Riffel’s bus and she is taken to Holland to stay with a sitter.
Riffel said Brumbalow enjoys the communication from other students in her language.
“You see her eyes light up and she gets a big smile on her face,” Riffel said. “She will make a noise when the excitement occurs, then the students will have to give her the sign to be a bit more quiet. God tells us to show kindness, care for one another, as well as love one another. I see this on my bus and every day.
“My students did not learn this on their own and I just want to thank their parents raising a child in a loving way, as this will stay with them the rest of their lives,” the driver said. “Who knows, maybe a special needs teacher may come from this.”
“I’m so thankful. I’m pleased with the kids that they want to interact. It’s not a chore for them,” Riffel said, about the students on the bus. “Kailyn was a Godsend for us.”
A typical conversation, Anderson said, is signing a message of “how are you?” and Brumbalow will respond with “good.”
O’Neal has noticed over the weeks that Brumbalow has relaxed. Other students on the bus earlier this week included Brian Wilson, 15, a sophomore; Kevin Wilson, 10, a fifth-grader; Madison Ferguson, 10, a fifth-grader; and Molly Myers, 10, a fourth-grader.
They listened as Anderson and O’Neal communicated with Brumbalow.