New Advisory Board at The Laurent Institute
Sioux Falls, South Dakota � The Laurent Institute, a non-profit community development corporation, announces today the formation of a national advisory board composed of leaders within the signing community. This board will have the unique opportunity to shape the new town of Laurent, South Dakota.
�We are very excited and honored to assemble such a distinguished group of individuals who share our desire to see the world�s first sign language town be built in South Dakota,� said Marvin Miller, Executive Director of The Laurent Institute.
The advisory board will hold its first meeting this weekend at beautiful Camp Lakodia in Madison, South Dakota (www.camplakodia.com). The meeting will not be open to the public.
The Laurent Institute will add more members during the next several months. City management, business development, public safety and senior citizens living are some of the next areas that need to be included in the planning.
The initial group of members are � listed in alphabetic order:
Egina Beldon has been a stay-at-home wife and mother for 7 years. God has blessed her with a loving husband, Jimmy Beldon and 5 children who range in age from 2 to 10 years old. Each child has a different degree of hearing loss: 2 are hard of hearing, 1 is profoundly Deaf, 1 is Deaf and 1 is hearing. Beldon grew up in La Puente, California. She went to different types of schools for Deaf children. Beldon received her BA in Child Development from Gallaudet University. She worked as a dormitory counselor and substitute teacher to younger children at Mississippi School for the Deaf. Beldon has worked as a mentor to hearing parents of a deaf child. She has taught ASL classes. She also worked as an ASL and English translator for Ohio Relay Service. Currently, she often volunteers her time at her children�s school and in the Deaf community.
Marina Fanshteyn, President & CEO of xeAxe International & TOYS Theater Agent. Originally, from Kiev, Ukraine since 1990, Fanshteyn is internationally known for her work in theater and business. She is also into KODA and travel services. She studied at California State University at Northridge and Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts in the areas of culture, language and English literature. Her key achievements include serving as liaison to the deaf community under Thomas Menino, Mayor of City of Boston (1994-1999); Miss Deaf Massachusetts (1996-98); and she is certified with American Sign Language Teachers Association. Marina is also fluent in Russian, Russian Sign Language & Gestuno. She has served on many boards representing the areas of business, theatre and culture.
Laurene E. Gallimore is a culturally Deaf, African-American educator of the Deaf Education program at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. She received a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, a M.Ed. in Deaf Education from Western Maryland College, Westminster, Maryland and a Ph.D. Degree in Language, Reading, and Culture from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. Laurene has hands-on experience in the implementation of an ASL/English bilingual environment for deaf and hard of hearing children and is an acknowledged expert on the topic of using ASL/English as the languages of instruction.
Gina Oliva is a Professor of Physical Education and Recreation at Gallaudet University. Best known for her pioneering work in developing visual cues for group exercise classes, Gina received a BA in Psychology from Washington College and an MA in Counseling from Gallaudet. She received her doctorate in Recreation and Leisure Studies from the University of Maryland (1994). Her career at Gallaudet spans more than 30 years, and includes involvement in student activities and continuing education as well as her current involvement with fitness and leisure. Her research interests include the impact of inclusion on hard of hearing and deaf students, the relationship between the Deaf Community and recreation agencies, and assisted living. Her first book, �Alone in the Mainstream: A Deaf Woman Remembers Public School,� was recently published by the Gallaudet University Press.
Bobbie Beth Scoggins is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and she is the current president of USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF). Born deaf to deaf parents, and with a deaf brother, Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins was valedictorian at the Texas School for the Deaf and attended Gallaudet. She obtained a BA degree in Psychology at California State University at Northridge and followed with her Masters degree in Administration and Supervision. She concluded her doctoral work at Pepperdine University in California with a Doctor of Education degree in Institutional Management. Scoggins has served on many boards and committees in the areas of arts, sports, and festivals.
Monica Soukup received her Bachelors degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education and Masters degree in Special Education from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She taught at the South Dakota School for the Deaf for 23 years. In addition to her experiences with deaf and hard of hearing students, she has many individuals in her family who are deaf and hard of hearing. Currently, she is working as an assistant professor at Augustana College in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program within the Education Department. She is also a doctoral student at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, and she is currently working on her dissertation.
Sean M. Virnig. A dyed-in-the-wool product of P.L. 94-142, he is currently the K-12 principal at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. Although he has learned much from the school of hard knocks, his formal education ranges from intensive trainings at the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard University to degrees from Gallaudet University and the University of Minnesota. With all the training and education, Virnig has held positions as a classroom teacher, an education specialist, a public policy specialist, and an assistant administrator of a statewide government program. The courage to be authentic in his delivery and work as a school administrator is the driving force behind his commitment to make learning fun and meaningful.
Janet S. Weinstock, a native of New York City, was born to Deaf parents. Her older sister is also Deaf, as are most of her relatives. Her younger siblings are hearing. She attended an oral day school and public schools, without support services before she earned her degrees at Gallaudet College. Janet has taught English and Deaf Studies at Kendall/MSSD since 1981. She has conducted numerous workshops and presentations to students, professionals, and families. In addition, Janet has taught college courses, including ASL/English literacy, Children�s Literature, and Deaf Studies. She has collaborated on children�s books, curriculum, videos, and magazines. Janet and her husband Mike are parents of two Deaf sons.
About The Laurent Institute
The Laurent Institute is a non-profit pending, organization founded in 2003 by Marvin T Miller and M.E. Barwacz as a sister company to The Laurent Company. TLI was established to begin the development of a New Urbanist town for sign language users in McCook County, SD. The pair�s strong desire to improve the life styles of those using American Sign Language, coupled with a growing understanding of community and environmentalism has lead them to dedicate all of their resources to this project. The new town, to be named Laurent, South Dakota will be an example of the best things towns offer: connectivity, activity, involvement, art, education and culture, commerce and wealth. In a word, a return to civilization.