I'm writing to thank you a thousand times over for your generosity and your support of Alameda teachers and students. I was the lucky recipient of a Teacher Mini Grant, and was able to take my deaf and hard-of-hearing students on a unique field trip as the direct result of your mini grant program. In December, students from Alameda High and Encinal High went to the Alameda Theatre & Cineplex to explore what equal access looks like in the community. We learned about what captioning and other assistive listening devices are and how to request them at the movies. Then we had the chance to test them out in real time during a showing of Moana 2. After the movie, we had a discussion about laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act, that protect people with disabilities and ensure they have equal access to all public spaces. One student had seen the movie with his family over Thanksgiving break, and then he saw the movie again on this field trip with the caption device in use. He said he enjoyed the movie so much more the second time because he could understand better what the characters on the screen were saying. It was an excellent learning experience, and I can't thank you enough for your support.
With much gratitude,
Your biggest fan,
Jessica Serrano, AUSD Special Education Itinerant - Deaf and Hard of Hearing
