LEXINGTON NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2014

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1 LEXINGTON NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2014 Above photo: The splendor of the lights, the tranquility of a quiet sunset, the magnificence of Manhattan so much energy can be derived from the beauty of our surroundings. Wishing You and Family a Joyous Holiday filled with Peace, Love, and Prosperity. Best Wishes for a Healthy New Year! Donald A. Galloway Superintendent/CEO

2 Miss Eleanor Vorce s 100 th Birthday Lexington School and Center for the Deaf 30th Ave & 75th St, Jackson Heights, NY info@lexnyc.org Coming Event On October 23, 2014, Miss Eleanor Vorce, a former faculty member at both the old and new Lexington School for the Deaf locations, celebrated her 100 th birthday. Above photo: From left to right, Karen Youdelman, former Lexington faculty member, Eleanor Vorce, and Don Galloway, CEO/Superintendent. Above photo: Besty and Anne, nieces of Miss Eleanor Vorce. They hosted the 100 th birthday party for Miss Eleanor Vorce at the Century Club in Manhattan. Friends and relatives of Miss Vorce gathered to celebrate. Right photo: Mr. Galloway, CEO/ Superintendent, explained about the change in technology from a paper collage to digital collage. A frame of the digital collage showing her professional life at Lexington School was presented to Miss Vorce as for one of her birthday gifts.

3 150 Years of Excellence To the Alumni, Friends, Staff, and Friends of Lexington. The Lexington School and Center for the Deaf has been an exceptional leader in serving the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community for 150 years. Our services for the Deaf community are unparalleled. Our mission is simple and far-reaching to be an exemplary education and service institution addressing all of the needs of the Deaf and hard-ofhearing community in the New York City region. We would not be able to provide these exemplary services without the generous support of our friends. In the face of increased cuts in state and federal aid, we must increasingly rely on our donors to help us continue our mission to provide outstanding educational, vocational, audiology, speech and mental health services within the Deaf community. As the end of 2014 approaches, I would like to share a few of Lexington s stories. I hope I can count on your donation to help us meet the increasing demand for services! The Lexington School provides our students with the skills and confidence to become successful and independent adults in the 21st Century. Well-equipped classrooms and resource centers are essential in helping our students reach their full potential. This past year, Lexington upgraded its bandwidth and Wi-Fi technology. Each preschooler and SEU student received an ipad and students in grades 5 through 12 were given laptops. These steps will help Lexington meet New York state s high standards for technology curriculum in the 21st century. But, they are not enough. Lexington school needs $100,000 to renovate its 25-year-old library, $275,000 to create a new TV studio and $20,000 to install two flat-led TV monitors in the hallway on each floor. We need your support, at any level, to purchase vital academic technology. Lexington s Vocational Services help hundreds of members of the deaf community achieve financial security and independence. Henry J., A ten-year Waldbaum s employee, is one of Lexington s success stories. Known as the King of Produce, shoppers seek out Henry to help select the best fruits and vegetables. Lexington s employment specialists helped Henry achieve his dream of employment. From pre-employment skills to job coaching, Lexington helps deaf individuals gain the skills that lead to self-sufficiency. Your donation of $75 will provide a job coaching session to help a deaf client secure and maintain long-term employment. Lexington s Hearing and Speech Center provides clinical audiology services for everyone from tiny newborns to homebound seniors. (continued to next page)

4 L ex i n g t o n S t r o n g! (From previous page) Mrs. J s hearing was declining. Thanks to Lexington s free hearing screenings, Mrs. J s problem was diagnosed and she received a hearing aid. She is thrilled to once again be able to fully participate in family and social events. The Lexington Hearing and Speech Center is home to New York City s largest and most technologically advanced hearing testing suite. Your donation of $25 will help to continue free hearing screenings for seniors like Mrs. J. Lexington s center for Mental Health helps clients cope with life s challenges so they can enjoy a full and fulfilling life. Samantha, one of six children, was the only Deaf member of her family. Samantha communicated in sign language, but her family didn t know this beautiful, unique language. Samantha told her teacher that she felt lonely, inadequate and defective. Lexington s mental health team worked with Samantha to give her the support she needed. They arranged for a sign language teacher to provide in-home sign language classes for the entire family. Today, Samantha s insecurities are a thing of the past and she knows her family loves and cherishes her. Your donation of $125 will provide a counseling session for a needy individual like Samantha. These are just a few of the ways that Lexington has touched the lives of our deaf and hardof-hearing community. Your gifts are critical to helping us continue our work. Please consider making a gift to Lexington today! Our best to you and your family this holiday season, Linda Schlesinger Donald A. Galloway Board Development Chair Superintendent/CEO P.S. Donations made on-line, or postmarked, by midnight December 31, 2014 can be applied to your 2014 charitable donations for tax purposes. To make a secure, online donation, go to and click the make A gift button. Please visit our website at sign up for s, join our conversations on Facebook or follow us on twitter. Please call us at if you have any questions or would like an update on what we re doing in the community. If you happen to be at lexington, please stop by my office so I can say thank you in person.

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