Signs of thanks
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on October 5, 2016 10:02 AM
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News-Argus/BRANDON DAVIS
Students at the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf in Wilson stand behind Master Sgt. Marcus Hankins, left, Senior Master Sgt. Kahl Singler, Master Sgt. Kazue Martinez and Senior Master Sgt. Courtney Jones. The airmen hold a banner which the students presented Seymour Johnson Air Force Base for their newly, painted rooms at the school.
WILSON -- Airmen from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base received more than just the thank-you sign Monday from deaf students.
Students from the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf in Wilson raised their arms and -- using the American Sign Language gesture for "celebration" -- excitedly waved their hands to thank four representing airmen for painting the chipped, off-white walls of McAdams Hall with bright and neutral colors.
Students and staff presented Master Sgt. Marcus Hankins and Kazue Martinez and Senior Master Sgts. Courtney Jones and Kahl Singler with a banner which displayed painted hands around the words, "thank you."
The banner showed appreciation for a much-needed change.
An interpreter, Leah Conner, started working at the school three months ago and noticed the plain, institutional walls, she said.
Mrs. Conner said her husband, who was deployed with the Air Force at the time, informed her in June to contact members of the Seymour Johnson First Sergeants' Council with the school's idea for the colorful dorms.
The council, which volunteers for different projects, asked council member Hankins to head up the school's project. He said yes, and 24 rooms received fresh paint on the walls and colorful valances above the windows in July.
"These kids live here during the school year, so we wanted make it more of a home away from home," Hankins said.
He worked along with 120 others to complete the project in one week.
"This is a gold mine for volunteers," he said.
He said 80 airmen, several churches and employees from Lowes Home Improvement of Goldsboro helped paint the walls red, green, yellow, orange and blue.
Some of the students showed off their rooms for the airmen after they presented the banner.
"When I first came into the dorm, I was like, 'Wow, it's bright,'" Jose Santos, 18, signed. "This is a whole lot better than before. Before it was old and sad."
Sharnese Johnson, 9, said she loves her green walls. She said the paint goes with her shelves, lamp and butterfly decals.
"I like the space in my room," she signed. "My room is bright, and I like green."
Mrs. Conner said the council opened a GoFundMe account and raised $5,000, along with private donations, for the project. She said the paint and valences brighten up the walls of the rooms and makes the students feel as if they are at home.
"Really to be honest, when I see a need it's super exciting to see people come together and make things happen," Mrs. Conner said. "Everybody wants to see that happen."
The school's director, Carter Bearden, said the school celebrated its 50th anniversary last April, and he said 70 students currently occupy the school from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Bearden thanked Seymour Johnson for recognizing a need for the school and the students.
"What they sought to do was to come out and find a project that would benefit these students," he said. "And selflessly, they gave up themselves to really make a difference in the lives of these kids."