Miss-Delectable
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St. Louis Deaf Education Program prepares students for future - themorningsun.com
Derrick Wakefield was born deaf but he has never let that be an excuse to hold him back.
At 4-years-old Wakefield began attending the St Louis Deaf Education Association.
"Basically what the Deaf program does is get these students ready for secondary education," Derrick's father Don said.
"There is an over abundance of deaf and hard of hearing students that are in the area but St. Louis is really the focal point.
"So a student from Beal City would travel down to St. Louis for his classes (and) would spend a couple hours a day in a deaf education class but most of the time it's mainstream."
Derrick comes from a family of "natural athletes," according to Don.
Being the youngest of four children Derrick wanted nothing more than to be like his big brothers, and the St Louis Deaf Education Association taught him to do just that.
Derrick played football at Shepherd high school and now plays college football at the only deaf college in the country, Gallaudet University.
"To watch him out there, I am pretty proud I got to tell ya," Don said.
"He has given it everything he's got and to me that's very important. he's not a quitter."
For Don the only thing difference he has noticed while attending a Gallaudet University football game in Washington, D.C. is that there is no announcer.
"To go to a deaf football game and have no announcer, that's one thing that I have noticed. You hear some background ambient noise but it's fairly quiet. it doesn't mean we're not excited but it's fairly quiet."
Derrick plays offensive guard and last year he played on the defensive side of the ball.
Gallaudet is a Division III school and Derrick began playing right away as a freshman.
Another product of the St Louis Deaf Education Association who plays sports at Gallaudet is Brandon Holsworth.
Holsworth is a state champion pitcher who played at Beal City and is now taking coaching advice from one of the only deaf players to play in Major League Baseball, Curtis Pride.
"It's a great program and St. Louis I feel really prepares them for trying to get more toward the 'I can do it myself rather than I'm handicapped (and) woe is me," Don said.
"In the real world you do something wrong it doesn't matter if you're deaf or not and if you coddle them that's not fair to them or helping them at all in the long run."
Derrick Wakefield was born deaf but he has never let that be an excuse to hold him back.
At 4-years-old Wakefield began attending the St Louis Deaf Education Association.
"Basically what the Deaf program does is get these students ready for secondary education," Derrick's father Don said.
"There is an over abundance of deaf and hard of hearing students that are in the area but St. Louis is really the focal point.
"So a student from Beal City would travel down to St. Louis for his classes (and) would spend a couple hours a day in a deaf education class but most of the time it's mainstream."
Derrick comes from a family of "natural athletes," according to Don.
Being the youngest of four children Derrick wanted nothing more than to be like his big brothers, and the St Louis Deaf Education Association taught him to do just that.
Derrick played football at Shepherd high school and now plays college football at the only deaf college in the country, Gallaudet University.
"To watch him out there, I am pretty proud I got to tell ya," Don said.
"He has given it everything he's got and to me that's very important. he's not a quitter."
For Don the only thing difference he has noticed while attending a Gallaudet University football game in Washington, D.C. is that there is no announcer.
"To go to a deaf football game and have no announcer, that's one thing that I have noticed. You hear some background ambient noise but it's fairly quiet. it doesn't mean we're not excited but it's fairly quiet."
Derrick plays offensive guard and last year he played on the defensive side of the ball.
Gallaudet is a Division III school and Derrick began playing right away as a freshman.
Another product of the St Louis Deaf Education Association who plays sports at Gallaudet is Brandon Holsworth.
Holsworth is a state champion pitcher who played at Beal City and is now taking coaching advice from one of the only deaf players to play in Major League Baseball, Curtis Pride.
"It's a great program and St. Louis I feel really prepares them for trying to get more toward the 'I can do it myself rather than I'm handicapped (and) woe is me," Don said.
"In the real world you do something wrong it doesn't matter if you're deaf or not and if you coddle them that's not fair to them or helping them at all in the long run."