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SALT LAKE CITY — Children from Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind came to the Capitol on Friday to learn about Utah's government and to interact with the legislators, who they learned are involved in allocating funding for their schools.
Kate Borg, director of blind campus programs, said most of the funding from the schools comes from the government, meaning legislators decide their financing.
"For them to be able to shake hands with a student and look into their face before they go vote is really important," Borg said.
For them to be able to shake hands with a student and look into their face before they go vote is really important.
–Kate Borg, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind provides services for students, from infants through age 22, both in classrooms and through one-on-one interaction. The help provided depends on the student's needs and where they live.
Kysen Hurt was one of the deaf students who came to the Capitol with his class. Using American Sign Language, he said he and his classmates were excited to be there. He made a video where he used ASL to talk about the school. The video was sent to Lt. Governor Spencer Cox, who invited the students to meet with him and answered their questions.
Cox explained his job to the students, shared the names of the lion statues at the Capitol, discussed his favorite music (Cox plays bass guitar in a rock band with his brother) and explained how computers and technology related jobs are great opportunities. Cox talked about technology that allows cows to milk themselves on his farm and self driving cars that could help some of the students in the future.
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Martin Price, program director at the School for the Deaf, said coming to the Capitol and seeing how the government works helps deaf students understand.
"Because they can’t hear they actually need to see. It’s a visual experience, they have a lot of hands on experience by being here, so that’s why we do it," Price signed.
Borg said being at the Capitol helped the blind students to work on orientation mobility skills and social skills.
"Any time we can go out in the community to really practice these skills and put them into place is really important," Borg said.
The students sent their representatives emails inviting them to meet with the group during their trip. Borg said a student named Cameron sent emails every day for the last two weeks to his representative, Rep. Elizabeth Weight, D-West Valley City, who came to meet him during lunch.
Students from the school come to the Capitol every year to thank the legislators and learn about Utah's government.
