FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan.Flanigan@gallaudet.edu
Student Environmentalists Respond in Record Numbers
to Gallaudet University’s “Going Green” Contest
for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
WASHINGTON, DC. This year, students from around the country submitted a record-breaking
645 entries to the 2009 Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and ASL Contest for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Students. Students addressed the theme, “Going Green: What I’m Doing to Help Save
the Environment.” Their essays, artwork, and videotaped entries showed their intense interest
and participation in being active stewards of our planet’s resources.
Participants took a variety of approaches to the topic. Some essay entries included ideas related
to school, such as setting up homework assignments online instead of using paper and using
password-protected accounts to submit them. One student researched on energy tips online and
found Blackle.com, a search engine powered by Google Custom Search that saves energy by
displaying a black background for search result pages. Other entries focused on practical ideas
for the home, encouraging families to buy green-friendly products, grow organic vegetables, and
recycle cooking oil. The art entries illustrated a wide range of environmental views, from
collages and cartoons of recycling projects to haunting and surreal depictions of landscapes
devoid of life. Many of the artists incorporated the recycle logo as an element in their artwork in
novel ways. One student included in her artwork the phrase, “Green is the new black.” Several
ASL entries suggested conservation tips such as using recyclable/refillable cups and water
bottles, taking fewer and shorter showers, and biking to school or work. In one ASL entry, a
student gave an A-to-Z list of environmental tips of things people can do to “go green”; for
instance, “Q” was for “Quit smoking.”
The Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and ASL Contest for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students is
co-sponsored annually by Gallaudet University and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education
Center located in Washington, D.C. Students from schools for the deaf and public schools submit
their entries in one of two age groups, 9-14 or 15-19. Winners in the 9-14 age category receive
cash prizes. Winners in the 15-19 age category receive scholarship money for the college of their
choice (which is doubled if a student applies to and attends Gallaudet). All winning entries, and a
full list of all participants, is published in the Clerc Center’s contest publication, Celebrate!,
which is made available in print and online.
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2009 Gallaudet National Essay, Art, and ASL Contest Winner’s Circle
ESSAY WINNERS Ages
15-19
1st Place
Nia Lazarus
Berkeley High School
Berkeley, CA
2nd Place
Scott Symes
Minnesota North Star
Academy
St. Paul, MN
3rd Place
Ashleigh Dreyer
Michigan School for the
Deaf
Flint, MI
Honorable Mention
Ray McCall
Michigan School for the
Deaf
Flint, MI
Honorable Mention
Brienna Herold
Minnesota North Star
Academy
St. Paul, MN
Judges’ Award
Erika Carrazco
Atlanta Area School for
the Deaf
Clarkston, GA
Editor’s Award
Paul Silvasi
Wisconsin School for the
Deaf
Delavan, WI
ESSAY WINNERS Ages
9-14
1st Place
Joshua Mora
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
2nd Place
Gus Shitama
Florida School for the Deaf
and the Blind
St. Augustine, FL
3rd Place
Samantha Ribaudo
Haysville West Middle
School
Haysville, KS
Honorable Mention
Colin Lualdi
The Learning Center for
the Deaf
Framingham, MA
Honorable Mention
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Emily Livermore
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
Judges’ Award
Dustin Bowers
Kansas School for the Deaf
Olathe, KS
Editor’s Award
Emily Lui
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
ART WINNERS Ages
15-19
1st Place
Ashleigh Rice
Washington School for the
Deaf
Vancouver, WA
2nd Place
Jessica Arevalo
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
3rd Place
Pauline Widurski
Illinois School for the Deaf
Jacksonville, IL
Honorable Mention
Roman Solovey
Model Secondary School
for the Deaf
Washington, DC
Honorable Mention
Alanna Janell Smith
Delaware School for the
Deaf
Newark, DE
Judges’ Award
Victoria Rainey
Illinois School for the Deaf
Jacksonville, IL
Virginia School for the
Deaf and the Blind
Staunton, VA
Minnesota North Star
Academy
St. Paul, MN
Honorable Mention
Mikaylasol-Amber
Cabras
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
Honorable Mention
Caleb Resch
Minnesota North Star
Academy
St. Paul, MN
Judges’ Award
Ciara Willard
Virginia School for the
Deaf and the Blind
Staunton, VA
Judges’ Award
Rachel Docken
Minnesota North Star
Academy
St. Paul, MN
Editor’s Award
Rebecca Giuntoli
Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX
Editor’s Award
Artour Kalendjian
Danforth Collegiate and
Technical Institute
Toronto, ON (Canada)
ART WINNERS Ages 914
1st Place
Katie Renee Baker
Odessa Middle School
Odessa, MO
ASL WINNERS Ages 1519
1st Place
Victoria Ward
Louisiana School for the
Deaf
Baton Rouge, LA
ASL WINNERS Ages 914
1st Place
Dakota Daniels
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
2nd Place
Anna Lynch
Model Secondary School
for the Deaf
Washington, DC
2nd Place
Lauren Adams
Louisiana School for the
Deaf
Baton Rouge, LA
2nd Place
Emma Crawford
Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX
Editor’s Award
Tyler Dilks
Maryland School for the
Deaf
Frederick, MD
rd
3 Place
Chrissie Marshall
British Columbia School
for the Deaf
Burnaby, BC (Canada)
Honorable Mention
Deanna Mutz
rd
3 Place
Shaynedonovan Kori
Elliott
Atlanta Area School for
the Deaf
Clarkston, GA
Honorable Mention
Julia Amis
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3rd Place
Amelia Hamilton
Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX
Honorable Mention
Jasi Kennedy
Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX
Honorable Mention
Connor Baer
California School for the
Deaf
Fremont, CA
Judges’ Award
Brandon Henry
Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX
Editor’s Award
Alex Gonzales
Arizona State Schools for
the Deaf and the Blind
Tucson, AZ
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