Helen, Deafax’s Chief Executive recently returned from a holiday in Barbados. Lucky her! However, it wasn’t all play. She met up with a friend who lives out there, Peter Boos and his wife Jan, Peter has set up the Aspire Foundation. www.aspirebarbados.org and told her all about the latest developments.

Peter also organised lunch at the Yacht Club where Helen met with up with Bonnie Leonce and Nikita. Bonnie is a qualified American Sign Language Interpreter on the island and one of the many things she does is support a young Bajan called Nikita who is deaf with her studies. You can read more about what Bonnie does in the Community Interview section of this Newsletter.

Helen also visited Yasmin Vlahakis, Principal of the Schoolhouse for Special Needs in Barbados which had a happy learning atmosphere. Yasmin founded the school and is an inspiring Principal. In her earlier years she had attended the Chiltern Nursery College in Caversham, UK. There was a surprise meeting with Emily Coley a former student on the Theatre Arts Education & Deaf Studies course at the University of Reading. It was a total surprise to bump into her again and discover she now teaches art, drama and other creative arts on the island and has married a Bajan.

The Schoolhouse for Special Needs is located in the heart of St. Michael at Reservoir Road, Brittons Hill and provides quality, specialized programs for children from four years old with learning and developmental challenges. Class groups are intimate and do not exceed eight students. Our teachers appreciate different learning paces/styles and go above and beyond to meet the special needs of each student.

Aspire Foundation
Photos from the event