YES dollars fund camp for hearing-impaired childrenby Chris WestPublic Relations Within the tragically quiet world that is being a hearing-impaired youth, one MUSC program is striking an audible chord thanks to you, MUSC. Are these YES dollars at work, you ask? YES they are. Camp Communication Vacation (CCV), a summer program for hearing-impaired youth, is the recent recipient of the YES Campaign Undesignated Grant. Sponsored by the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program (CSD), the camp not only grants hearing impaired youth from the Lowcountry a “summer camp experience,” but also serves as a much-needed community service. Laurel Hays, director of Clinical Education for the CSD program and camp coordinator conveyed, “I needed to create an experience for my graduate students to gain their clinical clock hours. After a bit of needs assessment, I learned that Charleston no longer offered a camp for children with hearing-impairment. So through the proper avenues, we created a clinical setting for students and a community service in one effort.” The camp, which caters to around 25 children every summer, “provides socialization, language stimulation and communication opportunities in a safe, fun and convenient environment,” Hays said. The need fulfilled by the camp is that most hearing-impaired children receive no intervention or facilitation for the three months of summer break. The camp provides that intervention and does so in an environment that resembles most other summer camps. “Normally the children aren’t in the presence of their facilitators or deaf education instructors for three months. However, this weeklong camp provides the children with continuous interaction with deaf educators and students with exposure and knowledge of sign language. Our camp can accomplish both the facilitation need and a fun environment to receive it in,” Hays said. “It’s a much-needed reinforcement for them.” The facilitation lies in its ability to give campers one-on-one attention and interaction with second- or third-year CSD graduate students and qualified and experienced deaf educators. The fun comes from the light-hearted atmosphere in which that attention is received. “We come up with a yearly theme for the camp and center activities around
that theme,” Hays said. “This year’s camp is centered around a western
theme with the motto ‘Hearing Hoedown.’ So the activities planned include
a hayride, a day of horseback riding and square dancing demonstrations.”
“There are many entities within MUSC who assist with the Camp including Tamala Bradham, Cochlear Implant Center Director, Department of Otolaryngology, the CSD graduate students, and the transportation division of MUSC that allows us to provide transportation for the campers. The Yes grant has provided us with the bulk of our budget.” Outside of MUSC, the support came from the local community as well. Charleston Speech and Hearing Center is collaborating to host CCV and has provided monetary support. Second Presbyterian Church is supplying the site. Lowcountry deaf education teachers Amy Dubay, Cindy Leal and Rosanne Poetz play an integral role in the camp. Gov. Hodges recognized the camp during its first year and The Post and Courier and local TV station WCBD have also recognized the camp in features. And where the attending children probably don’t want to address their impairment during their summer off from school, the facilitation provided at the camp comes disguised as, well, fun. “We start the day with a group activity. This may include performing a group cheer or singing a song. We follow this by going over the day’s agenda. Daily lessons are disguised as games and skits that revolve around science and language activities,” Hays said. “After that we break for snack time and the groups then trade activities. At the end of the day we recap what we've learned and present individual awards or superlatives, for that day's performance. By keeping it fun, we keep it interesting for the children.” Camp Communication Vacation is open to hearing-impaired youth from the tri-county area between the ages of 6-13. The camp is held at the Second Presbyterian Church, July 16-27 from 1-4 p.m. There is a $30 application fee, which covers camp attendance, snacks, field trips, transportation, and a camp T-shirt. For more information contact Laurel Hays at 792-2948. YES Committee Member
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