In an exciting collaboration with the 2007 Winter Deaflympics Organizing Committee, the Clerc Center asked deaf and hard of hearing students what “going for the gold” means to them. Over 300 students from around the country entered the Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and Sign Contest to describe how they “go for the gold” in their lives. The contest has been expanded to include entries in American Sign Language. Special congratulations to KDES’s own Wolfgang Stanley who won a Most Inspirational award in the Sign category!
Timothy Worthylake, contest co-coordinator commented, “The nation’s classrooms are filled with deaf and hard of hearing students who have set meaningful personal goals—and who are working hard to fulfill those goals. They used the contest to explore their feelings about themselves and their gold through writing, art, and American Sign Language.”
The Clerc Center and the 2007 Winter Deaflympics Organizing Committee awarded the top three winners in each contest category two combo tickets to the Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition, winners in the essay contest earned scholarship money which will be doubled for those who elect to attend Gallaudet University. All winning essay and art entries are published in Celebrate!, the Clerc Center’s annual showcase magazine of the work of deaf and hard of hearing students. An audiovisual show of the top essay, art, and American Sign Language category winners was displayed at the Deaflympics Expo on February 2 and 3. The art entries are currently on display at the Linda K. Jordan Art Gallery at Gallaudet through February 23rd.
The Clerc Center and the 2007 Winter Deaflympics Organizing Committee also teamed up to create an educational website on the Deaflympics. Check it out at:
http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/deaflympics.
Tim Worthylake expressed appreciation to all participants, winners, and judges. Here is a listing:
In the writing categoryJudges:
Mary Ellen Carew, MA, is a published writer and managing editor in the Office of Publications and Information Dissemination at the Clerc Center.
Gina Oliva, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation at Gallaudet University and the author of Alone in the Mainstream: A Deaf Woman Remembers Public School.
Madan Vasishta, PhD, an associate professor at Gallaudet University, administered several schools for deaf students until he retired in 2000. The author of five books and over 50 articles, he is working on a historical novel and a sequel to his memoirs.
Winners:
Kevlasha Humphrey, First Place, Jacksonville, Illinois
Shara Winesburg, Second Place, Fremont, California
Gina De Naples, Third Place, Jamestown, North Carolina
Molly Haywood, Honorable Mention, Batavia, Illinois
Jon Gabry, Honorable Mention, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey
AnMarie Rainey, Judges’ Choice, Irvine, California
Shubhangi Agrawal, Judges’ Choice, Fremont, California
Hannah M. Bartini, Judges’ Choice, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Gladyz Villalobos, Judges’ Choice, Tucson, Arizona
In the art categoryJudges:
Scott Carollo, MFA, is an assistant professor in the Art Department at Gallaudet University.
Barbara Hardaway, PhD, is a professor of English at Gallaudet University and a studio artist who works in collage and acrylic mediums and owns an art gallery. See her work at
www.barbarahardawaystudio.com.
Shawn Richardson, BA, is production assistant with the magazine of the National Historical Trust.
Winners:
Chris Miller, First Place, Knoxville, Tennessee
Monica Keller, Second Place, Rochester, New York
Gabriela Perrusquia, Third Place, Jacksonville, Illinois
Courtney Herrera, Honorable Mention, Jacksonville, Illinois
Krystal Starks, Honorable Mention, Jacksonville, Illinois
Andrea Echavarria, Judges’ Choice, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Robert Bradley, Judges’ Choice, Staunton, Virginia
Debbie Salamanca, Editor’s Award, Frederick, Maryland
Samantha Lynton, Editor’s Award, San Antonio, Texas
Donte Thomas, Editor’s Award, Frederick, Maryland
Kevlasha Humphrey, Editor’s Award, Jacksonville, Illinois
Tamarris Denwon Parks, Editor’s Award, Clover, South Carolina
In the sign category:Judges:
Dennis Berrigan, MA, is the American Sign Language Center coordinator at the Clerc Center. He works with national mission projects and serves as sign master.
Gary Brooks, BA, was the first Gallaudet University student to receive the National Film Award. He works for Gallaudet’s Academic Technology, Television and Media Production Services, and owns Blue Apple Production/Gary Brooks Studio.
Sanremi LaRue-Atuonah, MSW, is an instructional supervisor for Tutorial and Instructional Programs at Gallaudet University and a doctoral candidate in the Special Education: Administration and Supervision program.
Jane Norman, PhD, an Emmy-award winning producer and advocate in filmmaking for many years, is professor of Communications at Gallaudet University. She is also known as an international speaker on deaf cinema.
Nancy Walla, MA, a former Peace Corps volunteer, taught deaf students for 20 years and worked as an adjunct teacher at a variety of colleges before coming to the Clerc Center where she teaches classes in American Sign Language.
Winners:
Christopher Kearney, First Place, Austin, Texas
Kylei Brooks, Second Place, Olathe, Kansas
Maria Solovey, Third Place, Washington, D.C.
Calvin Young, Honorable Mention, Austin, Texas
Wolfgang Staley, Most Inspirational, Washington, D.C.
Brooke Harper, Judges’ Choice, Olathe, Kansas
Drew C. Meade, Most Creative, Danville, Kentucky
Da’Shawn Owens, Most Promising, Fulton, Missouri
In next year’s contest, the Clerc Center will again ask deaf and hard of hearing students throughout the country to respond to an important theme through writing, art, or sign language. The theme is: “YES, I can!” For more information, visit:
http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/showcase.
