Our Spring mini grants are now open! Applications are due May 10, 2024. Click here to apply.
Congratulations to one of our fall mini-grant winners, Andrea Wiersma, teacher at Holland Public Schools. Andrea used her $250 mini grant to help fund a college visit to Gallaudet University for her class! Students were able to tour the campus, meet with admissions counselors, attend a softball game, sit in on a Deaf studies class, eat and socialize in the cafeteria, and most importantly, experience the heart of Deaf culture and Deaf community. In addition, the Deaf students visited the Signing Starbucks and the Deaf-owned Mozzeria pizza restaurant where they faced no language barriers when ordering and had wonderfully genuine experiences! Lastly, the students were able to learn and experience America’s history through a tour of the Capitol Building, and a visit to the African American Museum, Holocaust Museum, White House, The Mall and all of its monuments, National Cathedral to Helen Keller’s burial site and the Arlington National Cemetery.
Quota Club is proud to support teachers like Andrea with our biannual mini grants.
A Note from Andrea
Thank you again for your gift towards our trip. Words can’t begin to describe the impact it made in these students’ lives. Thank you!!!
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Holland Public Schools went on a college visit to the only Deaf and Hard of Hearing liberal arts college in the world, Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. There they were able to tour the campus, meet with admissions counselors, see a softball game, sit in on a Deaf studies class, eat and socialize in the cafeteria, and most importantly, experience the heart of Deaf culture and Deaf community. In addition, the Deaf students visited the Signing Starbucks and the Deaf-owned Mozzeria pizza restaurant where they faced no language barriers when ordering and had wonderfully genuine experiences! Lastly, the students were able to learn and experience America’s history through a tour of the Capitol Building, and a visit to the African American Museum, Holocaust Museum, White House, The Mall and all of its monuments, National Cathedral to Helen Keller’s burial site and the Arlington National Cemetery.
A note from Jennifer
The funds, so graciously provided by your group, helps to support a group of 15-20 middle schoolers who advocated learning more ASL through an after-school enrichment program. These future Deaf Education teachers, interpreters, and/or medical health professionals are engaging in an hour-long class on Mondays after school taught by one of our Deaf graduates. Nadia is a very relatable young lady who shares and encourages conversational signing and Deaf community understanding by designing engaging activities and lessons for these Paw Paw Community Middle Schoolers. In May this group is invited to attend a county-wide community-based instruction event and put to use their newly acquired skills with our Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Visually Impaired student group in which they will work on advocacy and access skills through structured activities at a local establishment. It is easy to spot the students participating in this group in the hallways between classes as their hands are always moving and applying what they have learned to their daily routines. This is the second year of this successful after-school program and students who participated in the previous year are trying to design and start up a version of it at the high school. Thank you to the members of the Quota Club for encouraging the next generation!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Padgett
A note from Jennie
I received a grant from Quota Club GR and was able to purchase a light table for my preschool classroom. A light table illuminates objects to encourage students fine motor development, hand-eye coordination, color recognition, cognitive and visual and much more. The Quota Club Grand Rapids mission is to support education, access, and social connections for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in West Michigan. Their donation to our classroom has been met with excitement by our youngest classroom students. We are thankful that Quota Club GR supports and partners with our KentISD Oral Deaf Program.
Jennie Carlson
