Warm Welcome and Good Friends at the Deaflympics

The following is by Gabriela Perrusquia and Kevlasha Humphrey, Illinois School for the Deaf students who came to the Deaflympics as their prize in Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and Sign Contest -

Our (Gabriela and Kevlasha) first experience was to become good friends during the trip to Utah. We enjoyed being warmly welcomed by people in Utah. The mountains were the most beautiful we have ever seen in our lives.

The Red Lion Hotel was the nicest place we had ever stayed. We were there for four days. The hotel offered free breakfast every morning. We met three wonderful people: Tim Worthylake, Cathy Carroll, and Andrea Feldman. They treated us to two nice lunches, awarded us with medals, T­-shirts, backpacks, free tickets to the Deaflympics, tickets for the train, and even money. Kevlasha appreciated the care they took in accommodating for her vision problem.

We really enjoyed watching ice hockey very much. It was fun watching one man jump over the side of the rink after the game with an American flag to celebrate America’s Gold medal! Also, we watched curling and we thought it was boring, but it was still interesting. It was very cold but we were too busy to think about it. We met a most wonderful lady named Donalda Ammons who is the President of Deaflympics. She explained to us the history of the newly designed Deaflympics logo and colorful pin. Also, she told us some funny and interesting stories about herself. She was down to earth.

We met a most interesting person named Steve Ehrlich who is deaf and blind. It was very impressive how he communicated thru hands. We asked him many questions about his experience with Usher Syndrome when he was young.

We have lots of fun memories. One night we were walking and Raquel thought she was leading Kevlasha under arm, but it was Raquel’s fanny pack under her arm! Another time, Kevlasha could not see well in the dark and she thought she was with her mom, but it was a man! Gabriela thought she knew the way to our hotel, but she was wrong. We thought these incidents were so funny.

We enjoyed eating meals at different restaurants. We loved the closing ceremony and farewell party on the last day of Deaflympics. We met John Stratton who helped us move closer so we could see people on the stage better. The best part was on the last night when we rode on a carriage pulled by a horse in the rain.

We want to thank Ms. Lauderdale, our acting superintendent at ISD, for her support.

Cheers from North Dakota

North Dakota School for the Deaf students, teachers and fans behind the home box where they rooted for their PE teacher who coached the USA hockey team! They traveled 22 hours on the bus to Salt Lake City to see the Deaflympics.

NDSD's Blog: http://NDSD-Deaflympics.blogspot.com

Hooray for the USA

Dwight Benedict who headed up the hosting of the 16th Winter Deaflympics, Utah, cheers on the fans for the USA team who arrived in Salt Lake City to watch the best deaf athletes from around the world compete in winter sports. This scene took place at an ice hockey game.

Arrival !

Gabriela Perrusquia, center left, and Kevlasha Humphrey, students from the Illinois School for the Deaf arrived at Salt Lake City, Utah for the 16th Winter Deaflympics. Far left, is their art teacher Jeannie Jones, far right is Kevlasha's mother, Mrs. Humphrey. In the back row, is Tim Worthylake, co-coordinator of the Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and Sign Contest, who greeted them and helped them settle in.

Medal Winner

Andrea Feldman, a teacher at the Maryland School for the Deaf who represented the Deaflympics Organizing Committee in its collaboration with the Clerc Center, awards a third place medal in art to Gabriela Perrusquia from the Illinois School for the Deaf

Sign Session

Dr. Donalda Ammons, Secretary General of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, explains how deaf individuals use a system of signs and gestures to communicate with each other. In the opening ceremony for the Deaflympics, Dr. Ammons greeted athletes and fans in international signs. Also in the photo is Illinois School for the Deaf art teacher Jeannie Jones, top left, Mrs. Humphrey, and her daughter Kevlasha Humphrey, a student at the Illinois School for the Deaf.

A Hug from the Chief

Dr. Donalda Ammons, General Secretary of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf that oversees the international Deaflympic Games, welcomes contest winners Gabriela Perrusquia, left, who won third place in the art category, and Kevlasha Humphrey, who won first place in the essay category.

USA Medal Winner Enjoys Other Sports

Jeff Pollack, who won a medal for the USA ski team, returns to the slopes to watch the snowboarding competition.

Deaf Students at the Deaflympics

Michael Soudakoff

Jed, Tyler, Ethan and Dalton

Deaf students from schools and programs throughout the United States were among the fans who came to Salt Lake City to enjoy the Winter Deaflympics took the opportunity to tell us--and you--what they found most fascinating here.

Here's what the students said...

Bethany, 13
Maryland School for the Deaf
Maryland
My most fascinating moment so far has been meeting new people from different countries and using international signs. I also liked watching people root for their countries and see different ways to cheer them on. I love how everyone is nice to each other.

Tarja, 11
Maryland School for the Deaf
Maryland
The most fascinating moment of the 16th Winter Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, Utah was how other deaf people from other countries talk and how deaf people communicate with each other when they come from different places.

Benjamin, 11
Lehi Legacy
Utah
My most fascinating experience was…that I did not get to see any of the deaf sports… DARN! (except of the hockey game last night…)

Tyler, 13,
Ethan, 13
Maryland school for the Deaf
Maryland
Our most fascinating moment was watching the USA vs. Canada in the hockey competition. We—the USA—won, 4-3.

We also saw snowboarding freestyle. Some of the tricks were AWESOME!! We were impressed by the guy who won the freestyle with an awesome 540 degree spin and a back flip!!! I saw a guy hit a big ramp and got PWN3DD!!

I think it was very worth it to see the Deaflympics. We tried to communicate with people from other countries without an interpreter. It was pretty hard. We saw a guy who almost won a gold by alpine skiing but he fell down hard and broke his arm, it was painfully for him.

Jed, 10
California School for the Deaf
California
My fascinating moment of experience in the 16th Winter Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, Utah was watching the ski and snowboard contests.

Lorne, 16
Arizona School for the Deaf
Arizona
It was fascinating to watch my dad playing in the curling competition. When I was young, my dad always talked about curling, and now finally I get to watch him play! I understand it much better. I didn’t want to miss school, but decided to come here, and I don’t regret it.

Dalton, 11
Maryland School for the Deaf
Maryland
My favorite experience was watching hockey. Fans cheered while hockey players bumped and pushed each other on the ice. It was fun to watch !

Tessa, 9
Maryland School for the Deaf
Maryland
My most fascinating moment was watching the hockey fight. It was so cool and funny! Also I like to people signing in different ways--it is so cool!

Michael, 13
John Muir Middle School
Burbank, California
The best part of the 16th Winter Deaflympics was watching hockey. I enjoyed talking with people from different countries!!

World Deaf Sports Head Greets Students

Donalda Ammons, head of the International Committee for Sports for the Deaf, greeted Gabriela Perrusquia and Kevlasha Humphrey from the Illinois School for the Deaf and regalled them with tales of former Deaflympics. When Finland hosted the Deaflympics, it was -41 degrees and Dr. Ammons's eyelashes froze and fell off into her hands.

Congratulations!

Gerry Francini congratulates Shara Winesburg, from California School for the Deaf Fremont, for her second place finish in the Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and Sign Contest held in collaboration with the Winter Deaflympics. Shara won for her essay about working and bonding with children with AIDS.

After the Medal, the Handshake...Showing Mom

Her medal around her neck, Kylei Brooks shows the letter that the Deaflympics Committee wrote to congratulate her for her contest win. Kylei placed 2nd in the sign category of the Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and Sign Contest. She won for her signed essay on how she was "going for the gold" by becoming a pediatrician.

Medal Awarded to Gina

Gerry Francini awarded Gina a third place medal for her essay on loving horses. Said Gina, "I'm fortunate to be one of the people present watching the games...and knowing it all started with an essay I wrote....The deaflympics was a great experience."

Visit from a Former President

Former Gallaudet University President Dr. I. King Jordan and his wife, Linda Jordan, dropped by and met contest winner Kylei Brooks and her mother, Mrs. Brooks. Mrs. Brooks said that Kylei had said that she wanted to attend Gallaudet since she was a little girl.

Tale of a Dog and a Boy

Paul Uncangco, 13, originally from Guam and now living in Las Vegas, Nevada arrived with his hearing dog, Quincy. When people asked Paul about Quincy's partially shaved back, Paul patiently explained that Quincy had broken his leg in an accident. The broken leg didn't seem to be a problem at the Expo, however, Quincy walked around happily with his friend and master, Paul. Boy and dog were inseparable

Expo Revisited

Andrea Feldman, a teacher at the Maryland School for the Deaf, in Frederick, Maryland who helped coordinate the Deaflympics-Clerc Center collaboration is stationed at the Clerc Center booth--with Maria Solovey's award winning sign essay on the screen in front and behind her. The Expo before the Deaflympics was so crowded that it was hard to walk through it.

USA Wins First Medal

Kelley Duran, a sophomore at Smith College, has won the first gold medal for the U.S. Deaflympic team. Kelly won a silver in the women’s downhill event.

An all American skier and captain of the Smith College ski team, Duran is a psychology major from Vermont. While hearing skiers communicate with their coaches through the radio, Duran takes an interpreter onto her ski courses.

She also works extra hard. At the start of a race, Duran notes, "Usually when the interpreter signs 'three,' I start counting down myself.”

Teammate and Smith co-captain Katie Horton says that Duran “just somehow keeps this amazing positive and bright attitude towards everybody…[She] “is a great leader…."

While she communicates with hearing students by speaking and reading lips, Duran explains that some things, like social events, may be difficult. "Sometimes at dinner, it might be hard for me to understand what everyone is saying," she says. "It's difficult to lip-read, especially when I'm tired."

Duran learned to sign when she was a year old, and she attributes much of her success to her family's support. "My mom always made sure I went to the best schools," she says. "She did a lot of research when she found out I was deaf and learned how to best raise a deaf child.”

Duran notes that college is more difficult than high school. "In high school, I could deal with things and then go home and be with my family and forget about them. Here, I have to deal with everything day and night," she says. Duran also feels challenged to educate her teachers and the other students about deafness. "People have [negative] stereotypes about deaf people," she says. "I have to deal with that…”
Many people have approached Duran with an interest in learning to sign. "I knew Smith was open to people who are different," she says. "But I wish there were more deaf students here. I think a lot of [hearing] people want to communicate with me, but they feel bad they don't know how to sign--and I can't teach everyone!"

Duran will spend one semester of her junior year at Gallaudet University, a college for deaf students in Washington, D.C. "I just want to go there and be with deaf culture and my deaf friends," she says.

Let the Deaflympics Begin! Opening Ceremony

American Deaflympians end the parade as the hosts of the 2007 Winter Deaflympics.

The German Deaflympic team cheers the flag bearer as he waves the flag. It is a Deaflympic tradition to wave the flag several times before the flag bearer puts in his country flag along with the other country flags.

The Ukrainian Deaflympic team proudly waves to show their pride in their country!

American fan cheers her team

Deaflympics Contest Coordinators

Gerry Francini, Vice-Chair of Human Resources, and Andrea Feldman, Educational Coordinator for the 16th Winter Deaflympics pause at the Clerc Center Contest booth. Francini and Feldman were very busy with many different jobs during the Deaflympics.

World Press

Reporters from newspapers and TV stations around the world came to watch the athletes. Above are the press badges that the reporters had to wear around their necks to enter the Deaflympic events. Three of the reporters came from Germany and one came from Ethiopia.

Kylei and Gina--The First Winners Arrive

Gina De Naples and Kylei Brooks show their winning work in Celebrate! the Clerc Center magazine that shows all the 2007 winning entries--and the rules for the 2008 Gallaudet Essay, Art, and Sign contest, too.

Kylei Brooks, the second place winner in the sign category of the Gallaudet National Essay Contest saw her work on film at the Deaf Expo before the Deaflympics began in Salt Lake City. In her American Sign Language essay, Kylei said that “going for the gold” for her meant becoming a pediatrician.

Greetings to Contest Winners

Students Kylei Brooks from Kansas City, Kansas and Gina DeNaples from Jamestown, North Carolina were the first Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and Sign contest winners to arrive in Salt Lake City for the 16th Winter Deaflympics. Dr. Robert Davila, President of Gallaudet University, invited both girls to a special breakfast. Above Dr. Davila stands with Kylei (left) and Gina at the restaurant.

At the breakfast, Dr. Davila told us about his experience working with American athletes several years ago at the international competition of deaf athletes in Yugoslavia. Gina told us how she had experienced the summer honors program at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf on the Gallaudet campus. Tim promised to get Kylei's mom information about it and we hope to see her next year. Kylei told Dr. Davila about the subject of her winning sign essay--her dream to be a doctor. Cathy, far end, spent most of her time looking for her camera which finally fell out at her feet. In the photo above, Gina is the student at the far end of the table on the left with the beautiful eyes and big smile. Kylei is hiding a bit to her left, but you can see she also has beautiful eyes and a warm smile. Her mom is almost completely hidden, but you can make out her profile. Next to Mrs. Brooks is an interpreter who did a wonderful job but whose name I do not know . Opposite Gina is her dad. And next to her dad is Dr. Davila. Stacey Nowak, from Gallaudet, joined us a bit later. We ate, laughed, talked, and then everyone went out to enjoy the day.

Welcome at Salt Lake City

A View of Downtown Salt Lake City from the 2007 Winter Deaflympics' Headquarters, Little America Hotel....
Canadian sports fans Gordon and Susan DaDalt pause at the Salt Lake City airport to watch the welcome to the Deaflympics, broadcast on big screen in American Sign Language.

Welcome

This blog became active on the first day of Deaflympics - February 1st in Salt Lake City, Utah. Check it out.