Local Educators and Deaf Interpreters Joined Forces and Sends Senior High School to a Workshop

From: New Age Media Concepts (press release) - USA - Oct 4, 2005

KINGMAN, AZ, (NAMC) - Local educators and members of the Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (AZRID) has responded to Rae Henson, a Kingman High School teacher's appeal for financial support to help ten of her finest American Sign Language (ASL) students attend a workshop in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Trix Bruce - the celebrated Deaf Artist, Poet, and Storyteller, will conduct a very comprehensive full day (morning and afternoon) workshop which will be held at the London Bridge Resort and Convention Center on October 28, 2005 as part of the London Bridge Day Parade Festival.

Ms. Henson, who is also a member of the Colorado River Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CRADHH), said that these senior high school students are "our future interpreters" for the Mohave Valley area. At present, deaf communities that reside along the Colorado River area are suffering from the scarcity of certified interpreters.

"We just don't have any (interpreters) at all," Henson exclaims "and sending these students may help solve this problem." Ms. Henson believes that growing "our own" breed of interpreters in this area is vital. She also believes that as their teacher, she has a moral responsibility to point interested students in the right direction that will hopefully pursue careers in interpreting or in the advocacy of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, by attending workshops and classes similar to those offered by Ms. Bruce.

Emails were sent out over the internet to many local educators and to AZRID's email tree. Within three minutes after the emails were posted, several people had replied. Responding to the call were the following: KUSD special education supervisor - Beth Ferry, AZRID newly elected president - Patty Meyer and associate Kathy Majors, lead interpreter for the Houston Elementary School of the Gilbert Public School District - Cassie McCord.

Ms. Henson still needs a few more generous sponsors. If you would like to help support one or more of her students, please contact: Rae Henson - e-mail protected from spam bots or Amy Llamas-Bakari - CRADHH Media Relations Officer, mediarealtions@cradhh.org, (928) 757-5146

Contact:
Amy Llamas-bakari
BAKARI CREATIVE VENTURES
928-757-5146

New Age Media Concepts
NAMC Newswire