4^th Annual Deaf Storytelling Festival

Gainesville, Florida

March 31, 2007

To keep communication flowing smoothly (and so that you'll know where to look) we have developed the following procedure for questions, answers and discussion after each story:

1. All questions and answers are to be given from the microphone area in front of the platform. Please come to and leave this area quickly to afford more time for the storytellers.

2. A voicer is provided for Deaf participants. While the voicer is speaking, others may watch the message by looking at the expressive interpreter.

3. All hearing participants are asked to either speak or use simultaneous communication (signing and speaking at the same time). The interpreter will not be voicing for hearing people (but the expressive interpreter will be signing all answers)

Many thanks to our interpreters: Dr. Michael Tuccelli and Ms. Tracy Hagemann plus our moderator, Ms. Maureen Longo Tuccelli and to the Signing Gators Club at the University of Florida. Questions or comments? DrASL@aol.com Website: www.DrSign.com

Questions to consider:

1. What were some of the emotions in the story?
2. What was placed and later referred to?
3. Was there role shifting? Give an example.
4. What classifiers were used?
5. What was the story about?

Deaf Storytelling Festival Presenters and Proposed Stories

Dennis Buck

Dennis Buck was born in Springfield, Ohio near Dayton, Ohio. Attended an oral mainstream school until age of 10 then transferred to St. Rita School for the Deaf, a Catholic school, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Enrolled at Gallaudet University for six years. During Gallaudet time, I had a tragic motorcycle accident, this changed my life. I went back to Gallaudet to finish my Bachelors in Computer Science. After graduating from Gallaudet, I became a Deaf Peddler for 11 years and in the meantime I worked for Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a neural network researcher. Left the job and became a full time peddler in Chicago until 1996. I went back to Graduate school at University of Central Florida to obtain Masters in Computer Engineering. In 1999, I was offered a position by AT&T as a software engineer. I am also teaching ASL courses at two locations: University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College.

Experiences at Oral Mainstream and Residential School

Family background – my family are all hearing except my younger brother and me are deaf. We were placed at oral mainstream school at the age of 5 – strictly oral method – no sign allowed – how? Details will be provided at the festival.

Several Jokes

A Timber Man found a unique tree and the signer will use very descriptive details of the surroundings. ASL provided a rich concept of classifiers that are used for the story. Secondly, a story is about a famous science using the latest technology to arrive the farthest planets. Last of all, a blonde woman notice something in her car engine and ask mechanic what is this? Come and find out.

My Tragic Motorcycle Accident

Share my utmost experience of changed life from ambulatory to a wheelchair user. How determination I had to accomplish in my life. Occupational and physical therapy gave me inspirations to move on with my life. Tom Lowry, my pest, was encouraged me to do something with life by competing me with weights. Accomplishments will be shared at the festival.

Stephen Hardy

Stephen Joseph Hardy, II, was born Deaf and raised in New Jersey. Hardy attended New Jersey School for the Deaf (Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf) and Gallaudet where he met his best friend, sweetheart, and wife (Constance “Connie” Marshall) from Erie, PA. Connie and Stephen been together since 1981, four children, and a Deaf dog named Alice Cogswell. Stephen teaches at Santa Fe Community College and moonlight as an IT with the University of Florida.

My first trip to Florida.

My two Deaf friends were chatting at the park where we lived in New Jersey. We were chatting about what if’s and I said to my friends why not just get in the car and go someplace. One of them said, “Where?” I said why not Florida and I heard its warm in January. Something went wrong and I will tell you more on Saturday.

My experience with the 1992 Republican Convention as a special assistant to the director of Disability Affairs.

I was selected as a group of Gallaudet students to attend the 1992 Republican Convention, held at Houston, Texas. I saw so many people and you want to know more?

See me signing on Saturday!

My World Games of the Deaf experience at Bucharest, Romania

I was getting ready for the training camp and something happened. I crashed my motorcycle and my knee was swelling. How did I make it through? See me on Saturday.

Connie Hardy

Constance “Connie” Hardy born Deaf and raised in Erie, PA. Connie is the last child of 9 children. She attended Model Secondary School for the Deaf, Washington, DC and played Basketball became all American. She loved sports, debating and traveling. She attended Gallaudet University and met her husband Stephen. Connie loves fishing from the boat and attending her daughter Stephanie’s sporting events. She also loves to teach Deaf children and looking forward to teach within a few years from now.

I was an exchange student to Belgium

I lived with a Deaf and hearing host family. The most wonder experience and attended Deaf school for one year also signed in French. What was it like?

Oh No, This is awful!

The most embarrassing moment while I was in the car with Deaf friends. I did something that I regret. What did I regret?

Washington, DC Stalker

A man who was stalking me in Washington, DC and how did I outwit that man.

Living in an Apartment in Virginia caused me to scratch all the time

I was going nuts and scratching all the time and what went wrong?

Paul Jones

He was born in Hartford, Connecticut and attended the American School for the Deaf and also attended but did not complete NTID and St. Petersburg Junior College and St. Johns River Community College taking paralegal courses. He received an associate degree in Bible Study from Birmingham Bible School for the Deaf in 1993. He was also a minister to the deaf in Chattanooga from 1994 to 1996. He is married to Maria Gomez for 7390 days and has two deaf kids who attended FSDB. His son is a 2^nd year student at Gallaudet while his daughter was married last January and is living in Utah. He will be a grandfather before Christmas! He appeared at Deaf Nation Expo as a storyteller recently. His parents are also deaf.

Worst Basketball Game In History Something will happen at the end of the basketball game and it will make you scream!

A Boy Who Wanted To Be A Fireman A young man wanted his dream to come true. Will he get it?

Chief Joseph Story of Indians struggling for peace with a heart touching ending.

2 Bikers. S handshape story … a hilarious one!

Judgement Day A day when Deafinator meets someone we all love. See what he would do!

Deaf Witch ?... Where ? A funny story about a deaf witch that tries to fly when the moon is full.

Ronnie Mae Tyson

My name is Ronnie Mae Tyson Jones. Born in Moultrie, GA. Raised in Jax, FL. Became deaf at age 7. Attended mainstreamed schools until sophomore year in high school, then transferred to FSDB. Graduated from FSDB, Class Valedictorian. Attended NTID at RIT. Graduated from NTID with BS in Business Adm/Retailing, MS in Career Counseling. First job worked Sears in Rochester, NY, later at FSDB as Dorm Supervisor, NTID Admission/Recruiter, VR Counselor, now has best job in the world teaching ASL for FCCJ and UNF part-time. (other odd jobs, file clerk, mail clerk, stock clerk (at Toys R Us), JC Penney, Minnesota Title, etc). Mother of two boys, Xavier Andrew and Javier Fabian. Would love to someday get my Phd and write a book about my experience as a Black Deaf Woman.

The Deaf Ugly Duckling,
You know the story about the Ugly Ducking, I felt like one. Growing up, I was ridiculed. But who knew, that one day, I would become the first Miss Black Deaf America....come and see (hear) the rest of my story.

The Song goes, "Homely Girl"....
Well, years ago, that was my nickname, Poor Baby, Plain Jane, Daisy Sue,Sandra Dee, I was not exactly "Miss Ann or Miss Thing, definitely not "All That" and dubbed Frankenberry by siblings. How I overcame all those names. Being Deaf, I missed out of a lot of things because I was socially behind. Come hear about all the funny and not so funny stories of my past.

The College Experience
I used to not like being called Deaf, but when I arrived at NTID, it was a whole new world for me. I opened up and came out of my shell.

<>ASL grammar to watch for