Bow Lake's Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Program hosted the first DHH Family Night of this school year on February 25 in Bow Lake's Rainforest (one of the five biomes represented in the building). The event provided a welcome opportunity for families to gather and share their experiences.

Speaker Elsy Vasquez, mother of three deaf and hard of hearing children and one hearing child, shared her story of learning to accept her children's deafness and learn sign language - while also learning English and holding a job. She stressed the importance of learning sign language to better communicate with the children. Parents engaged in a lively question-and-answer session with Elsy and one another following the presentation.

Parents also learned about opportunities and resources available - including ongoing Monday evening sign language classes for Spanish-speaking families and Tuesday ASL classes, monthly Family Social Hour gatherings, the Shared Reading Project, as well as online resources and available sign language DVDs.

The next Family Night for DHH program participants is scheduled for April 22 and will feature former students presenting their perspectives.