Front Row: Kase Bickauskas, Ella Pearson, Keela Reynolds, Mary Ann Stefko, SSDHHC Outreach; Second Row: Raelee Miller, Mackayla Reynolds, Carlene Miller, Anna Pearson; Third Row: Emily Bartell, Ella Wilson, Johnine Bickauskas, Nicole Miller; Top Row: Sandi Graham, Lackawanna County 4-H, Mark Miller, Faith Hosie, Ayla Holgate, Jen Pearson, Christine Del Pozzo.
                                 Courtesy of Mary Ann Stefko

Front Row: Kase Bickauskas, Ella Pearson, Keela Reynolds, Mary Ann Stefko, SSDHHC Outreach; Second Row: Raelee Miller, Mackayla Reynolds, Carlene Miller, Anna Pearson; Third Row: Emily Bartell, Ella Wilson, Johnine Bickauskas, Nicole Miller; Top Row: Sandi Graham, Lackawanna County 4-H, Mark Miller, Faith Hosie, Ayla Holgate, Jen Pearson, Christine Del Pozzo.

Courtesy of Mary Ann Stefko

Barnyard Friends young students at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing not only enjoyed virtual projects, but are now going into the community. They are learning new things, meeting new people and having fun.

The group’s virtual projects included growing their own plants and sharing them as they grew. The group made Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day greetings for community members who were shut in during the pandemic, and learned how to take care of their pets through a partnership with North Winds Veterinary Services and Turning Tails Dog Training.

Several students displayed their projects at the Harford Fair. Lexi Lopatofsky won first place, Cate Winermute 2nd place and Ella Pearson 3rd place.

“I made a wooden box and painted different designs on it,” said Raelee Miller. “I put the flowers I planted in the box.”

“We are integrating the early elementary students at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children with the 4- H teen council who are age 13 and up,” said Mary Ann Stefko early elementary teacher at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. “Then these elementary students can join the 4-H in the county. The teen council will learn better communication skills, and as they learn sign language, they can go out and sign in the community. “

The students started cooking at the Vintage Kitchen, 317 Linden St. in Scranton, where they will participate in additional sessions.

“We can do these projects as a family,” said Nicole Miller, mother of Raelee Miller. “We meet people in the community, get involved and communicate with a larger community.”

The teen members worked with small groups of students, making a fruit and vegetable dip and an everything bagel dip. They were using sign language that they are learning, and also had a booklet with the sign language alphabet and other signs they would be using that day.

The teen council members measured the ingredients and the students poured them into a bowl. The students also did all the mixing. At the end of the project, they enjoyed eating what they made.

“I enjoy meeting new people and it will teach me leadership skills,” said Faith Hosie, a 4-H teen council member who will be a senior at Holy Cross High School. “It is always fun working with the students and it brings a lot of fun and energy to the project. I hope to learn more sign language.”

“Mary Ann Stefko has been working with the kids during school and getting them ready to do more 4-H programs in the community,” said Sandi Graham, Lackawanna 4-H educator. “We also worked getting the hearing members ready with some sign language. I think that anytime youth get a chance to communicate, especially when there are differences, can only help society as a whole.”

Ella Person, who is 3, was delighted with cooking. She clapped her hands as she poured measured ingredients in a bowl and also enjoyed mixing. She signed “I am cooking.”

“I like to cook and am building up my leadership and cooking skills,” said Ayla Holgate, a 4-H teen council member who will be in 9th grade at Abington Heights.

“I would love to see some of the deaf students in our regular programs,” said Graham. “We will also try to schedule monthly meetings like the one we had. Now that we know the youth better, we can plan more activities that are skill appropriate. As I work on leadership skills with my teen council, they are now equipped to do most of the planning. It’s a great way for everyone to learn new skills.”