9th Annual Illinois Statewide Deaf FingerSpelling Bee

By WAY Staff

The State of Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission recently completed its 9th Annual Illinois Statewide Deaf FingerSpelling Bee. Deaf and hard of hearing students from all over the state participated in the event and over 150 people cheered the students on.

During the FingerSpelling Bee, the word announcer signed and mouthed the given word to each contestant. Once the contestant received the word, he or she was able to practice fingerspelling the word by placing his or her hand behind his or her back. After 30 seconds, the contestant presented the word to the judges through fingerspelling.

Each of the winners received a $100 savings bond from the Illinois Association for the Deaf. Place winners received trophies and all participants earned a medallion and a certificate.

Here are the FingerSpelling Bee’s final results:

Fifth and Sixth Graders
1st - Yanay Rodriquez - Bell School, Chicago
2nd - CayliJo Bateman - Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville 3rd - Rebecca Hoffman - Blackwell School, Schaumburg

Participants
Cade Sammis - Sterling Middle School, Peoria
Camille Nesmith - Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville
Carla Arrieta - Bell School, Chicago
Jesse Derda Vasquez - Kinzie School, Chicago
Tracy Lavender - Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville
Michael Crank - Urbana Middle School, Urbana

Seventh and Eighth Graders
1st - Leticia Campos - Kinzie School, Chicago
2nd - Marlet Mancera - Bell School, Chicago
3rd - Karen Valles - Kinzie School, Chicago

Participants
Alexandrea Rossi - Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville
Austin Davis - Sterling Middle School, Peoria
Jeb Willoughby - Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville
Liliana Zarco - Kinzie School, Chicago
Mario Vaccaro - Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville
Zach Karr - Cissna Park School, Cissna Park

For more information, including photos of participants, visit the State of Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission website.

- Information from the State of Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission website

Other News Stories in This Issue:

Students Reach for the Stars at Space Camp

Essay and Art Contest Winners Announced