We are honored to have been selected by the American Camping Association for the Eleanor Elles award in recognition of our American Sign Language department. Since our founding in 1961 it has been our goal to bring worlds together in a spirit of understanding and friendship. The Educational Opportunities Fund helps us include campers who would otherwise not be able to participate, and helps us reach our mission of having a more diverse summer camp community. Almost 10 years ago, at the suggestion of a summer staff member with a Deaf sister, we began coordinating to incorporate Deaf students into our program. Now our hearing campers learn sign language and our Deaf campers have a chance to share activities with hearing kids. We learn a lot about our similar and different realities. With the support of interpreters and coordinators we are able to broaden our original goal of bringing children from various socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, to include Deaf children.
This program has been an interesting project. Many wonderful and generous people have donated time and funding to help us create and maintain our American Sign Language Department. Without their dedication it would have been impossible to reach this moment of celebration.
Please share in our excitement. Learn more about our American Sign Language Department and help us spread the word to those who would want to know about it.
ASL Announces a New Partnership! ~
The Windsor Mountain ASL department is pleased to announce a new partnership with the University of Southern Maine, beginning summer 2008. This collaboration brings a multitude of benefits to Windsor Mountain and the Deaf community, offering a safe, supportive place for new interpreters to spread their wings and practice their skills, but also increases the caliber of our interpreting staff. For the first year we will have an ASL/Interpreting mentor on camp, providing workshops, discussion, and raising the awareness of our hearing staff about ASL and Deaf culture.
We are very excited about this development, and hope that it significantly impacts the ASL department, allowing us to continue to grow, evolve, and educate about Deafness not only at Windsor Mountain, but all over the world.
____________________________
To Contact us: 1-800-862-7760 ~ mail@windsormountain.org
