Office of Deaf Services Department of Human Rights SIGN of the TIMES E-NEWS February 2011 Visit DSCI website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov Questions or Comments? Email us: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov ANNOUNCEMENT As the telecommunications relay service provider for the state of Iowa, Hamilton Relay acknowledges that opportunities for higher education affect the future of Iowa’s graduating high school students, including students who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking. We are pleased to extend a scholarship opportunity to students who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking to assist in their upcoming college or higher learning endeavors. We would appreciate your assistance in sharing the attached scholarship information with your eligible students. Can you help? One candidate is selected from each of the states where Hamilton is the contracted relay service provider. All candidates are required to submit an application, write an essay under the topic of communication technology and provide a letter of recommendation in order to qualify. The scholarship deadline is March 1, 2011, so please be sure that applicants postmark their submission by this deadline. The scholarship amount is $500 and will be awarded on or before April 29, 2011. If you would like additional information or receive the scholarship application, please contact Lori Sporrer at lori.sporrer@hamiltonrelay.com or TTY/V: 712-653-2440. Hamilton Relay looks forward to giving back to the community by assisting an outstanding Iowa student who is deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or has difficulty speaking during this 2010/11 school year. Thank you for participating in the excitement! Lori Sporrer Outreach Project Manager Relay Iowa INFORMATION If you’re interested to get some information about taxes, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has that information available in American Sign Language. The ASL videos are available at this web link: ww.irs.gov. INTERESTING INFORMATION The 2010 National Film Registry, a feature of the Library of Congress, has listed the "Preservation of the Sign Language" as #20 on its list. Only 25 films made the final list. The 1913 film that showed George Veditz in sign language is just two minutes long! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZcvOnhYEC8 Gallaudet University’s Website: http://videocatalog.gallaudet.edu/player.cfm?video=2520. "As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs. And as long as we have our films, we can preserve signs in their old purity. It is my hope that we will all love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people."--George Veditz, 1913. CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2/04: 6:00 pm: American Sign Language Social hosted by Deaf Awareness and DMACC located at ALL-Play, Des Moines. 2/12: 2 –5 pm: Deaf Awareness Meeting located at Altoona Public Library, 700—8th Street SW, Altoona. 2/17: 7:30 pm: Sweet Honey in the Rock Concert located at Stephens Auditorium, Ames. ASL interpretation provided. 2/21: 10 am –1 pm: Sign Language Interpreters and Transliterators Board Meeting located at Lucas State Office Building, Room 526, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines. To see more details of these events, see our events webpage: http://www.deafservices.iowa.gov/events/index.html MARK YOUR CALENDARS Deaf Capitol Day—March 7, 2011 More College Scholarships Information ` Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center ` College Scholarships for the Deaf ` Education - Scholarships and Financial Aid for Deaf Students ` Deaf or Hearing Impaired Scholarships ` U.S. Scholarships for Deaf and Hard of Hearing ` Scholarships for CODA—Children of Deaf Adults JUNIOR COMMISSION PROGRAM JULY 18 — 23, 2011 DOLLIVER STATE PARK Click here to download the application form. Donations are welcome to the JCP Camp.