It's not every day a student comes to school and leaves with a new stuffed animal.
A group of elementary students in the District's Deaf and Hard of Hearing program were able to do just that earlier this week, but the activity was about much more than getting a new toy.
"Stuffies like Me" aims to celebrate the DHH identity of each student.
Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and staff in the Learning Support Services department were the organizers behind "Stuffies Like Me" which provides students with the opportunity to pick a brand-new stuffed animal that they could identify with and go through the process of conducting a hearing test to determine their new furry friend's needs.
"The stuffie will be the same identity as the child, (have) the same hearing levels, and once they are done, they will pick up their hearing aid or their cochlear implant that will match their stuffie," explains Heidi Feenstra, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the District.
As part of the event, the students get to paint and decorate their hearing aid or cochlear implant to suit their unique style and glue it on to their new plushies.
The activity is one of many learning opportunities that the students in the program do throughout the year and a way for educators to help create a compassionate and inclusive learning community. Heidi commented on how these events are important for social emotional learning.
"Everyone wants to feel connected. They want to feel like they belong, and Deaf and hard of hearing students at the schools, there are usually one or two or sometimes they are by themselves," said Heidi.
"It is very important for them to get together, and see that they all belong together, and they have something in common," she added.
Heidi, who is a strong advocate for Deaf identity and culture, says she wants each student to feel like I'm not alone.'
