![Graduation Event]()
Graduation Event
Many young people take high school graduation for granted. What could be more normal? Attend classes, complete assignments, and before you know it you are on to the next exciting chapter in your young life. It’s not quite that easy if you are a young woman living in Mexico, especially one who just happens to be deaf.
Three young women at Escuela de Educación Especial de San Miguel de Allende challenged all obstacles in their path, attaining their life dream of graduating from high school in spite of their deafness. It took each of them much longer than most to reach this point; much longer than should have been necessary. Unfortunately they come from a place where their formative years consisted of languishing in public school, virtually untaught, because the teachers had no sign language. But with the help of tutors hired at the school, one who is deaf himself, all worked diligently over the past three years to achieve this educational success, to graduate high school. This is a huge milestone for them personally. Also one that their families’ never thought possible and are now especially proud.
We are reminded that, even in this day and age, many young women around the world are not encouraged to pursue an education. To be even more precise, we know they are discouraged from such pursuits. To their families, often because of economic necessity or as a result of cultural or social customs, girls are considered to be more valuable either working or marrying at a young age. On top of this, there is an even greater challenge for a child born in a developing country and who is deaf. There is little special education provided by the state, therefore there are few places where sign language is available to communicate with the Deaf, let alone teach them. Escuela de Educación Especial de San Miguel de Allende is one of the few non-profit organizations in Mexico that has taken a lead in filling this exceptional need.
Carla, 37 years old, joined the school in 2014 as teacher’s assistant for preschool aged children. At that time Carla was helping her mother clean houses. She is proficient in Mexican Sign Language and eager to pass her special knowledge and skill on to others.
Azucena, 28 years old and Carla’s sister, attended EEESMA since doors opened in 2012. Bright, inquisitive and with a happy disposition, Azucena has always displayed strong leadership skills. She excelled in middle school and benefitted greatly from communicating with her older sister in sign language at a young age. She aspires to start her own baking business.
Laura, 20 years old, is quiet yet self assured. Intelligent and curious to learn new things, Laura’s strong subject is mathematics. Her dream, after graduation, is to pursue a career in sewing and fashion design, assisted by vocational training and work transition programs at the school.
There is a renewed sense of pride and accomplishment shared by all at EEESMA. Young ones at primary and middle school levels now have close knit role models to look up to and to emulate. They too can see first hand that their dreams of an education are within their grasp. The staff, teachers and director also join in a shared sense of achievement. All the hard work has indeed paid off!
Join us in congratulating Carla, Azucena and Laura in their graduation! Join us in wishing them all the best that life has to offer! And please consider joining us today by helping make education accessible to all children, regardless of their abilities, by sponsoring a deaf child to attend school in Mexico.
![Laura Gives Acceptance Speech in Sign Language]()
Laura Gives Acceptance Speech in Sign Language
![Grads and Fellow Students Watch Translator]()
Grads and Fellow Students Watch Translator
Links:
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
