Last year, soon after the pandemic closed our state, Juan Soto and his 9-year-old daughter, Lucero, embarked upon a mission to find and fix old bikes so they could give them to kids who did not have a bike. Their goal was to give away 100 bikes to kids, thus the name of their project: 100BikesForKids. 

Within a short time, Juan and Lucero gave over 200 bikes and began working to fulfill a request for bikes for kids who attend TSD.

TV host Mike Rowe got wind of the project and worked together with woom to donate 50 bikes to the 100BikesForKids project--30 of the bikes were set aside for TSD. Juan and his family were featured in an episode of Returning the Favor. 

On April 8th, 100BikesForKids and woom delivered the 30 bikes. The TSD students were ecstatic to ride the bikes. 

One of them said, "I love it. It is the best. I got to go for a ride...it really goes fast." Another student shared, "When we got them, I thought it was really cool." 

TSD partnered with Tarrytown Pharmacy to host a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine clinic on April 7th.

Geared primarily for the Deaf community, the clinic attracted approximately 1,250 individuals to receive the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine.

TSD Superintendent Claire Bugen was excited about the large turnout and the clinic's approach.  She shared, "The Tarrytown vaccination teams were organized, friendly,  and efficient. The teamwork, camaraderie, and hospitality I saw today from TSD students, staff, and our community was nothing short of amazing."

Brad Power with Tarrytown Pharmacy shared similar appreciation to TSD staff when he remarked, "I want to appreciate you all for organizing a fantastic event... Everyone was in a great mood; they were helpful and caring. The flow of traffic moved very quickly."

There was also some positive feedback from the community. One person said, "Thank you for the fabulous job the school did with the vaccination site." Another person posted on Facebook, "Thank you for this! I got my vaccine last minute, and this was the best!"
 

Ever wonder what a star fruit tastes like? 

For the past few months, the cafeteria staff have hosted different Tasting events where students are exposed to foods they more than likely have never experienced before. 

Since Tasting began, students have experienced Gouda cheese, Bok Choi, and star fruit. This exposure complements nutrition education while giving students a fun opportunity to try some healthy options.

As Chef Christophe explains, "To make it entertaining and have students engaged, the cafeteria staff present a display of foods that are similar to what the kids will be tasting. Students are then allowed to examine the shape, smell, and looks before tasting."

Students will be tasting Prosciutto at the next Tasting event on April 14th.  

TSD middle school student Kaylee H. stars in the new feature film, “Godzilla vs. Kong”. She plays Jia, an orphan who can communicate with Kong using sign language. Together Jia and Kong undertake a perilous journey to find Kong's true home. 

In celebration of Kaylee's screen debut, TSD and Deaf Board Game Center sponsored an opening night special showing at EVO Entertainment in Kyle. Many from TSD and the Deaf community showed up for the event.

Prior to the start of the film, Kaylee, joined with her father, welcomed the crowd, answered some questions, and thanked everyone for their support.

Kaylee's performance has since received countless praises. One cinephile stated, "Her convincing performance as a Deaf Iwi native girl in the film has got people interested to know more about her and her background."

In the first five days of its release, the film has generated over $48.5 million in the box office, a best opening during a pandemic.

Image Description: Kaylee H. portrays Jia, holding up a homemade King Kong doll. Below the image are the following words: TSD'S Kaylee H. stars in the upcoming blockbuster "Godzilla vs. Kong."

Estefani Garrison is one of TSD's dual-credit Austin Community College (ACC) teachers within the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program.

Originally from Salt Lake City, Estefani enrolled at TSD when she was five-years-old. After graduating from TSD in 2008, she attended California State University at Northridge (CSUN) to study fashion. She returned to Austin two years later to study graphic design at ACC. Recognizing her potential, she earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Graphic Design Specialization. 

She then enrolled at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to further her studies in graphic design. She later received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design.

Estefanie returned to TSD as a teacher of ACC's dual-credit visual communications courses, an opportunity that allows her to share her experience at ACC and be that conduit between TSD and ACC for prospective Deaf students. Currently, she reaches three courses equivalent to three full semesters: PhotoShop, Illustrator (AI), and InDesign (ID). 

What inspired her to become a teacher was her involvement at Deaf Film Camp in Old Forge, New York, where she taught animation and graphic design to 13-16 year-old youth.

When asked how she thinks her current students are doing in their graphic design courses, she explained that the classes are beneficial yet challenging. They are challenging because students are required to read college-level textbooks that includes advanced English reading. These textbooks have plenty of visual examples, which are helpful. She explained that the courses are beneficial because they enhance creativity and organization skills--two of many core skills desirable to employers.