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Student Council and the New York School for the Deaf

Friday, October 16th, Peter and William De Luca and Saint David's parent Dixie De Luca attended the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new, long- awaited playground at the New York School for the Deaf in White Plains, NY.

The school's old playground was destroyed in October 2012 during Hurricane Sandy, so the school has been without a playground for three years.  It took three long years to find the right company to provide a wheelchair accessible, safe playground and to raise the $125,000 necessary to get it built.  

The school's students are predominantly from families who live below the poverty level and thus are dependent on outside donors to provide facilities improvements and student programs that the New York State Department of Education does not provide.  

New York School for the Deaf is the second oldest school for the deaf in the United States.  It will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2017.  On a historical note, Alexander Graham Bell brought Helen Keller to its 75th anniversary!

Mrs. De Luca expressed "being very proud when William, as a new Student Council member, raised this issue/need with the Saint David's Student Council in 2014.  We are so grateful to Coach Imbelli who helped the Student Council vote 'yes' to donate significant portions of funds raised to this very worthy cause.  
The plaque in front of the playground that memorializes Saint David's School as a major donor

In 2014 the Saint David's boys donated $2,592 to NYSD from the Baskets for Charity event. In 2015, the 5th and 6th grade Student Council voted to donate a further $2,851 to the playground.  As a result, the boys of Saint David's became 'significant donors' to this project, contributing almost 5% of the total cost!"

Following is an excerpt of the thank you email received from Dr. Stern, the school's head:

"On behalf of the entire Fanwood community, thank you so much for joining us along with your sons at the playground ribbon-cutting ceremony.  More than you probably can realize, your presence and words meant a lot to those of us privileged to have been on the receiving end.  It goes without saying that this is on top of the incredibly generous support indispensable to making the playground a reality - for today and tomorrow's children.  Was not the (quite controlled) joyous stampede of our children into the playground a fitting ending to the ceremony?!  I trust it was heartwarming and 'validating' for those of who you have worked hard and long in bringing on the playground."

During a year which includes "Deliberate Moral Introspection" as its theme, Mrs. De Luca expressed being "proud of the school for encouraging its boys to support other children less fortunate than themselves."

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