High school

  Learning Is For Everyone

The LIFE program is a mentorship program, where the students are paired up with adult mentors. The mentors meet with the students at least once a month, sometimes more. During the sessions, the students learn how to navigate the world along side their Deaf/hh mentor. The sessions include life skills, social development, and advocacy skills. The goal is for the students to gradually take on more and more responsibilities, until they are ready to become mentors for another group of students. 

   Caitlyn Dollar is a Youth and Family  Support Specialist.  Caitlyn holds A.A. degree and an A.S. degree in ASL interpreting from St. Petersburg College. She is also a graduate of USF, where she completed a B.A. degree in ASL interpreting. Prior to joining FCD, Caitlyn volunteered with the REACH program for two years.  You may contact Caitlyn directly via e-mail: caitlyn@fcdpinellas.org  

  Tutoring is provided weekly during the school year and, as needed, during the summer months.  All Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and CODA students may participate.  Please contact Caitlyn (caitlyn@fcdpinellas.org) to sign your student up.

  The high school students take one day a week to give back to the community. The students are able to receive volunteer hours, while learning about the community around them. For the past six months, the students have helped the 15th street farm with growing, maintaining, and harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables. The students are able to give back to the community, while learning how to leave a smaller footprint behind.  

  The High School Robotics Club builds and programs robots, and competes against other teams, both locally and regionally. This club is open to all Middle School students (6th-8th grade) and runs from September through February. Additional robotics programs occur during the summer months to keep our technical skills sharp.  

  Each year, FCD sponsors a D/HH Academic Bowl team.  The Gallaudet University Academic Bowl was established with the goal of fostering the pursuit of academic excellence, promoting a spirit of academic competition and sportsmanship, and providing social opportunities for the development of collegiality and lifelong friendships. Every year, Gallaudet University hosts four Regional competitions for up to 80 teams of Deaf and Hard of Hearing high school students. 20 teams will then advance to the National competition held at Gallaudet annually.  

  The FCD (Middle and High School) Travel Club is a club where students will be empowered to plan, fundraise and experience travel.  They build itineraries, fundraise for their trip, and head off for a fabulous experience as a group! 

 Family Center on Deafness is collaborating with Self- Reliance to offer Drivers Ed permit classes in ASL to our students. This is a 2-month program.