Graduation day brought joy and gratefulness to the students of Bohol Deaf Academy (BDA). On March 28, 2018 sixteen young men and women and their parents celebrated the long-anticipated day with a graduate procession, Moving Up Ceremony, and Recognition Rites. A roller coaster of emotions flooded the graduates, their families, and teachers as they remembered […]
Among the five IDEA dormitories in Bohol, the dorm in the town of Jagna is the only one not situated on the school premises. Students in Jagna walk back and forth between their dorm to get to meals and classes. While the distance to the dorm is not more than 600 meters from the school
Visiting a local government office is often challenging for the Deaf. Some Deaf are courageous enough to overcome the communication barrier with basic gestures while many decide to avoid the difficulties of public communication altogether. The unfortunate reality is that the communication gap isolates many Deaf from the public. As advocates for our Deaf brothers
Claudio thought that all he needed to communicate with his Deaf son were basic gestures and body language. When his son enrolled in school and learned sign language, Claudio soon realized how much he was missing. Claudio’s son, Dayjhay, actually had a lot to say, and Claudio could now see how limited their communication really
It had been a tense few weeks, and the pressure was building at Bohol Deaf Academy (BDA) as students pushed through challenging projects and exams. One sunny day on September 26, 2017, the atmosphere suddenly changed from one of intense pressure to excitement. Maricel leapt into the sunshine with eager eyes and a wide grin.
Joross and Glenda have been very excited for August to come. Both of them spent their weekends searching for the best traditional Filipino attire to wear for their school culmination activity during the National Language Month celebration. Joross and Glenda are both in the 7th grade and this was their first opportunity to participate in
An IDEA documentary, named “Amang,” follows the story of a nine-year-old Deaf named Aires. Like so many Deaf children growing up in the Philippines, she did not attend school. Instead, she stayed home to do chores like washing clothes and taking care of her younger siblings. Education for a Deaf child was simply out of
The students were beaming with self-fulfillment as they received their graduation diplomas and achievement awards. Their parents couldn’t keep their eyes dry as they recalled the countless sacrifices that gave the moment special meaning. Their teachers’ faces lit up to see their students achieving a great milestone in their lives. The Commencement, or Moving
