Sara Collins, 2008 Gallaudet Valedictorian
Sunday June 1, 2008
The Green Bay Press-Gazette has a profile of Sara Collins, who was valedictorian at the 2008 Gallaudet University graduation. The writing is a bit condescending and includes the usual "fourth grade" remarks, but does portray her in a positive light. It even points out that she had passed up a full scholarship to attend a hearing college, to attend Gallaudet University instead.
Comments
It’s the first I’ve ever heard of Gallaudet having a valedictorian. That’s something that high schools claim. Since when did Gallaudet start having a valedictorian, and what exactly does it mean?
4th Grade is real nice insult, wanna know who’s at fault? Whoever being a teacher in profession at school did NOT teach children very well!! All they want is paycheck! It could be anyone who cannot help it!
Lora is right. I graduated from Gallaudet and I don’t recall having a valedictorian.
I was shocked when it was announced at the 139th Commencement that the highest GPA of the Valedictorian was 3.4. That was very low. There used to be a number of graduates in the past that made GPA 4.0 or close to 4.0.
There were several students who had a 4.0 gpa. There was no announcement of the highest gpa, and for sure there is no valeditorian. It’s interesting the family is claiming she was valeditorian. They prob. thought it was a small town newspaper, and no one would see it, but uh oh! Scandal here….Still Sara is a wonderful person and wonderful student, but who proclamined her valeditorian?
Jaime ..
At your personal blog, you wrote: “It could be reduced if deaf people and parents of deaf children insisted on the right to review articles before publication.”
Bad idea.
DeafRead editors routinely prove why this is a bad idea.
:o)
Paotie
“hearing college”
Gee! What’s next?
Hearing Exxon
Hearing McDonald’s
Deaf + Hearing = Mainstream
How about “attending college in the mainstream.”
Ronald, I am offended by your comment. Hopefully you were not generalizing to all DHH teachers. I am a teacher of the deaf and I work my tail off trying to teach reading. I do not accept “I’m deaf” as an excuse to not read or learn English. Sometimes, there are things out of our control and learning doesn’t happen (for various reasons). Doesn’t mean we are just in in it “for the paycheck.” If that were the case, I sure wouldn’t have gotten into teaching! In case you don’t know, teaching pay is pretty bad.
The deaf community need to do more to improve in our writing and I think the deaf schools are not teaching up to par to hearing schools. I think Galladuet need to be more creative in recruiting and getting involve with the deaf schools around the country. I noticed Galladuet lost a lot of potential students because they don’t reply back to future student e-mails. I was planning to go back to school to become a teacher. I chose to go to a hearing college because of lack communication on their end. I already have a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. I couldn’t get scholarship money or grant money. I applied to a few hearing colleges and they got me the grant money. I believe in education is what you put into it.
Can’t anybody just be happy for the girl. Like CongraTulations Sara!! No wonder the Deaf community is always overlooked. Far too many people complain! Just like when Pepsi ran their Super Bowl commerical!
IN MY OPINION MAINSTREAMING OF THE DEAF HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE YEARS. I HV A FRIEND WHO HAS BN TOTALLY DEAF SINCE CHILDHOOD. SHE’S IN HER EARLY 70′S AND HER WRITING AND SPEAKING IS AS GOOD AS ANY THAT I’VE COME ACROSS - AND EVEN BETTER THAN MANY OF MY HEARING FRIENDS. SHE LIP READS VERY WELL AND KNOWS VERY LITTLE ASL AT THIS POINT. MY POINT? IT APPEARS TO ME THAT CURRENT PUBLIC EDUCATION DOESN’T DO AS GOOD A JOB WITH TEACHING THE DEAF AS IT USED TO.
JE MPLS, I agree 100% that’s why we homeschool both our boys.
Wow, I dont understand where some people get off saying some of the things they say.. Sara is a great person- and has overcome a lot in her life, why aren’t people happy for her? Dont be so uptight about the ” valedictorian” title, it only means she was first in her class.. Magna Cum Laude.. Valedictorian, call it what you will it means the same thing. I personally know her, and her family.. she is Valedictorian, and an amazing person, quite an inspiration!