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February 21, 2006
Addison Mizner Elementary students sign and sing at Boca rehab center
Unlike the average fifth grader, Dylan Mersereau didn't say a word. Instead he moved his fingers, using sign language to covey a heartfelt message to residents at the Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center. Mersereau and his fifth-grade classmates from Addison Mizner Elementary School spent Valentine's Day singing and signing Martina McBride's "My Valentine" song to those residents.
"We sang for the old people using sign language. It was a Valentine's song," the 11-year-old said. "It's important to learn it because people who can't hear you would like to hear a song."
His teacher Alicia Smith said it took two weeks for the students to learn to sing the song while signing.
"I think sign language is beautiful. It's like any other language," the fifth-grade teacher said.
Smith said the goal of her lesson was to have students respect other's differences.
"My biggest goal is unity. They couldn't focus on anybody but themselves while they were singing because they were focused on signing. This builds confidence and shows them that not everybody is perfect," she said. "They also realized that they're saying something with their hands."
She also thought the project instilled a sense of "giving back to the community." She had the students make two Valentine's cards for each resident.
"I talked to them about how some of the residents were not as fortunate as them to have family members to spend the special day with. This not only made their day but their year," Smith said.
Mark Wilson, 11, said he spent the holiday at the center to "make them feel happy." And he said it seemed to work.
"They were nice there and we surprised them," he said. "We made them cards. I wrote Happy Valentine's Day and here's a hug from me to you. And they were really excited and we startled them with joy."
Classmates Hannah Smith and Rebecca Grbinich said they learned a lesson from the visit.
"A lot of them don't have families and don't have kids. We probably made them happy and gave them a phenomenal feeling inside," Smith said. "I'm going to try to visit the rehab center more and go there every Valentine's Day and give them cards and perform that song."
Grbinich added, "My experience was new to me. Everybody was looking at us, and most of the kids were shy. But when we started signing we felt much better because we made them happy."
The teacher said this wouldn't be the last time the students will visit the center. She has adopted the center and will bring students there during the holidays.
By Nicol Jenkins
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&prid=14303
Posted by 4HL on February 21, 2006 4:05 PM
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