by Wendy Deters, Executive Director
Dear Child’s Voice Community,
I’d like to give one more congratulations shout out to all of our 2024 graduates and their families. On May 18 we had a wonderful ceremony which highlighted how much each of these children have grown over their time at Child’s Voice. I was so proud of how they gave their speeches to a packed audience and how they performed their songs with confidence and joy. They will be dearly missed as they move on to their new schools but as I told all of the families, Child’s Voice will always be here for to support you.
We were just recently given the opportunity to do just that for a couple of our alumni students. Cullen Bradley (class of 2009) and Christopher Radomski (class of 2012) both recently made the USA Men’s Deaf Volleyball team (USADVB)! This national team is composed of men from across the US who have varying degrees of hearing loss. The team will play in the World Deaf Volleyball Championships in Okinawa, Japan this June, where they will compete against global powerhouse teams such as Turkey, Ukraine, and Italy. They then hope to represent the USA in the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo, Japan. They recently played in the USA Volleyball Association’s US Open National Championship tournament in Columbus, OH where they tied for 9th out of a field of over 60 teams in the Men’s A division. While this was the first time the team played as a unit, they played well, and it is apparent the team members enjoy each other and are building lasting friendships across the country. They are all excited to compete on the world stage this summer.
Please join Child’s Voice in supporting these young men and their fellow deaf athletes. While the U.S. Olympic Committee supports the teams’ efforts in spirit, they cannot offer the USA Deaf Volleyball any financial support. The athletes and coaches must fundraise for the team to represent the USA in international competitions. Sponsorships allow the team to focus on bringing home gold instead of the financial implications of competing. Please see the link below for more information.
There is more news from our alumni sports desk — click here to read about a young rower and Child’s Voice graduate.
I hope you all enjoy some much needed break time this summer. I know our staff, families, and students do! Please stay safe and have fun.
Sincerely,
Wendy
