The Carleton University Sign Student Society received this year’s “Youth for Youth” award at the fifth annual Healthy Kids Awards ceremony held 25 March, 2015 at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
The CHEO Healthy Kids Awards program recognizes individuals and groups in the community who promote the healthy development of children and youth.
According to Sign Student Society President, David MacMillan, the group won for their efforts in “…providing immersion events (for ASL) by collaborating with professional organizations such as the ASL Honour Society, campus organizations, community organizations, and the ASL department.”
In March 2014 the group, in conjunction with Seeing Voices Montreal, hosted a performance of “Deaf Snow White” at Carleton which drew an audience of more than 300. More recently, the Society hosted “Queering ASL”, a joint effort with the Gender and Sexuality Resource Centre and the Carleton Disability Awareness Centre.
Sign Student Society representatives Holly Urbanski, Ashley Croke, and David Macmillan accepted the award on behalf of the group.
Later in the year, the group plans to host a “DeafJam” poetry slam in partnership with IN/Words Magazine and a screening of the recent film “The Tribe”.
To learn more about Society initiatives, visit their Facebook page.