September 22, 2006

 

SCSDB News                                             

South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind

  A Palmetto Gold School 

 Media contacts:

 Sharon Goolsby, Public Information Office: (864) 577-7505

sgoolsby@scsdb.k12.sc.us

 

Katie Rice, Public Information Office:  (864) 577-7506

 krice@scsdb.k12.sc.us

 

 

 

Governor Recognizes Deaf Awareness Week with Proclamation

 

SPARTANBURG - Deaf Awareness Week has been recognized by Governor Mark Sanford with the first-ever SC Governor’s Proclamation.

            The proclamation encourages awareness of the culture, contributions and achievements of the members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.  National Deaf Awareness Week is designated for Sept. 24 – 30, and the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) has numerous activities planned for SCSDB’s students and community members.

            A performance by the famous CJ Jones, a deaf comedian, actor, producer, motivational speaker and educator, will be open to the community on Thursday, Sept. 28, 7:00 p.m., in the school’s Pulliam Auditorium in Walker Hall.   Ticket price is $10. 

Jones takes his shows to schools and universities across the country and around the world, and  has traveled with the National Theatre of the Deaf and toured with “Children of a Lesser God” on Broadway.  Other appearances include NBC’s “Frasier” and “Sesame Street.”  As an educator, he heads Hands Across Communication, a program to help improve the skills of students who are deaf.  Jones also founded Sign World TV to expand the opportunities in the field of entertainment for people who are deaf.

            Students will be entertained by Jones during the Deaf Awareness Fair scheduled for Sept. 28, 8 a.m. – Noon in Voss Center.  Many educational activities are planned for students throughout the week.

            Students will perform “The Star Spangled Banner” in American Sign Language at the beginning of the Carolina Panther’s Football game on Sunday, October 1, 1:00 p.m.                     

             The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind is a specialized instructional and resource center. It provides services statewide for individuals who are deaf, blind or sensory multidisabled, their families and the professionals who work with them. SCSDB offers programs for preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, sensory multidisabled, vocational and postsecondary educational students, as well as a variety of outreach and support services. The main campus is located in Spartanburg, and regional centers are located throughout the state. SCSDB's Web site address is www.scsdb.k12.sc.us.