Miss-Delectable
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Fort Morgan Times
The deaf and hard of hearing can do anything except hear, according to B.J. James, audiologist for Centennial BOCES and the Morgan County schools.
In an effort to connect youngsters who share this “low-incidence disability,” students from many northeast Colorado schools gather once each year for an educational field trip. This year’s trip, held Friday afternoon, was at Jackson Lake State Park near Orchard.
It was the first time Morgan County has hosted the trip, James said, which brought together similar students from the northeast corner of the state.
“Some of these kids are the only one in their school with hearing loss or hearing aids,” James said. “...We wanted them to have an opportunity to socialize and interact.”
During the field trip, about 50 students rotated among four stations offered in and near the park’s visitor center. The stations included a nature hike, boating safety, a presentation by a mountain man and a discussion with Miss Deaf Colorado.
Kathy Ronci, who is the official Miss Deaf Colorado for 2007-09, is a student at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. She is studying to become a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Ronci, who discussed the options available to those with hearing disabilities, served as an adult role model for the students, James said. Ronci and the other deaf and hard-of-hearing adults present showed the kids that those with hearing disabilities can become successful individuals, she said.
“It’s important for them to know that there are people that grow up wearing hearing aids,” she said.
In the boating safety demonstration, Park Officer Eric Grey gave the students a firsthand look at a patrol boat and explained all major functions of the vehicle. He also discussed the proper way to operate boats.
Mike Shaver of Denver, fully dressed in authentic mountain-man garb, taught the students about trading, fur trapping and other mountain-man history. He also gave the students a chance to taste sugar in the raw.
Later in the day, Joyce Carr, a storyteller from Greeley, led a discussion as Sacajawea.
James said each station was meant to teach the students something new. Each presenter was accompanied by a signing interpreter, she said, and event organizers tried to accommodate the hard-of-hearing students in any way possible.
Wind speeds reportedly topped 100 mph in Morgan County on Friday and snow flurries were widespread, but James said all of the students enjoyed the field trip.
“Everybody’s loving it and having fun despite the cold weather,” she said Friday.
The participating students were from Fort Morgan, Brush, Sterling, Fort Lupton, Hudson, Keenesburg, Johnstown, Kersey, Eaton and other northeast Colorado towns.
The deaf and hard of hearing can do anything except hear, according to B.J. James, audiologist for Centennial BOCES and the Morgan County schools.
In an effort to connect youngsters who share this “low-incidence disability,” students from many northeast Colorado schools gather once each year for an educational field trip. This year’s trip, held Friday afternoon, was at Jackson Lake State Park near Orchard.
It was the first time Morgan County has hosted the trip, James said, which brought together similar students from the northeast corner of the state.
“Some of these kids are the only one in their school with hearing loss or hearing aids,” James said. “...We wanted them to have an opportunity to socialize and interact.”
During the field trip, about 50 students rotated among four stations offered in and near the park’s visitor center. The stations included a nature hike, boating safety, a presentation by a mountain man and a discussion with Miss Deaf Colorado.
Kathy Ronci, who is the official Miss Deaf Colorado for 2007-09, is a student at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. She is studying to become a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Ronci, who discussed the options available to those with hearing disabilities, served as an adult role model for the students, James said. Ronci and the other deaf and hard-of-hearing adults present showed the kids that those with hearing disabilities can become successful individuals, she said.
“It’s important for them to know that there are people that grow up wearing hearing aids,” she said.
In the boating safety demonstration, Park Officer Eric Grey gave the students a firsthand look at a patrol boat and explained all major functions of the vehicle. He also discussed the proper way to operate boats.
Mike Shaver of Denver, fully dressed in authentic mountain-man garb, taught the students about trading, fur trapping and other mountain-man history. He also gave the students a chance to taste sugar in the raw.
Later in the day, Joyce Carr, a storyteller from Greeley, led a discussion as Sacajawea.
James said each station was meant to teach the students something new. Each presenter was accompanied by a signing interpreter, she said, and event organizers tried to accommodate the hard-of-hearing students in any way possible.
Wind speeds reportedly topped 100 mph in Morgan County on Friday and snow flurries were widespread, but James said all of the students enjoyed the field trip.
“Everybody’s loving it and having fun despite the cold weather,” she said Friday.
The participating students were from Fort Morgan, Brush, Sterling, Fort Lupton, Hudson, Keenesburg, Johnstown, Kersey, Eaton and other northeast Colorado towns.