FOCUS-ST. LOUIS CELEBRATES CID:
ONE OF 20 COMMUNITY SUCCESS STORIES AT THE
2006 "WHAT'S RIGHT WITH THE REGION!" AWARDS

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, Released June 2006 – On Thursday, May 11, FOCUS-St. Louis recognized CID — Central Institute for the Deaf — among 20 organizations and individuals honored at its ninth annual “What’s Right With The Region!” awards. The program was an uplifting regional celebration of programs and initiatives that have made a profound difference in the St. Louis region. CID executive director Robin M. Feder, MS, CFRE accepted the award on behalf of CID.

CID received a FOCUS-St. Louis award for Creating Quality Educational Opportunities. Founded in 1914, CID was the Midwest’s premiere oral school for deaf and hard of hearing children. CID’s primary goal is to mainstream students as soon as possible so they can compete and succeed among those without hearing impairments. Last year CID served more than 100 children from birth to age 12 and their families.

“The innovative work that is done at CID upholds its legacy as a leader in the field of deaf education,” said Deb Cottin, Director of Marketing at FOCUS-St. Louis. “FOCUS is proud to honor this fine institution for its commitment to deaf children and their families. To have such an internationally renowned institution for hearing-impaired individuals right here in the heart of the St. Louis region reflects well on the entire community.”

For hearing-impaired children with the potential to learn to talk, CID offers a state-of-the-art facility and a 4 to 1 student-teacher ratio composed of experienced teachers dedicated to promoting the development of the whole child. CID’s curriculum focuses on critical language, literacy and pragmatic skills that are the foundation for the children’s future academic success.

The profession of audiology has its origins at CID, as do auditory-oral education and assessment methods used throughout the world to help deaf children learn listening, language and speech. In 1958, CID began the first home-like parent-infant program for hearing-impaired children. As an innovator of assessment- and ability-based deaf education, CID has served as a model for schools around the world.

The CID school is made up of three programs: the Joanne Parrish Knight Family Center, Preschool-Kindergarten and Primary Department. Services include helping families learn to with their baby’s hearing loss and to help stimulate beginning speech and language at home, providing an intensive emerging literacy program for preschoolers incorporating techniques from the mainstream, and weaving speech, language and listening instruction into grade level academics. CID also provides instruction in computer, art, physical education and social skills along with a variety of special activities.
 
Through its quality programs, CID has helped many children with hearing loss grow up to become successful members of society, equipped with the skills to succeed and with choices about how and with whom they may communicate. Most CID graduates go on to graduate from high school and many pursue college and professional careers.  

Co-chairs of the FOCUS-St. Louis event are Steve Maritz, CEO of Maritz, Inc. and Diane Sullivan, President of Brown Shoe Co. Lead sponsors of “What’s Right With the Region!” are Anheuser-Busch Companies, Brown Shoe Co., Edward Jones, Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis and Maritz, Inc. Underwriters are AT&T, Monsanto Company, National City and Paradigm New Media Group.

CID’s fellow 2006 FOCUS-St. Louis award recipients are David Kemper, chairman and CEO of Commerce Bank; Nahed Chapman, executive director of the St. Louis Public Schools ESOL/Bilingual/ Migrant Program; Metro Theater Company; Teach For America; Cultural Festivals; Gateway Foundation; H.I.S. K.I.D.S., Inc.; ROW’s Economic Action Program; Family Resource Center and Family Support Council, NorthPark Partners, St. Louis Regional Health Commission; St. Louis Sports Commission; Council on American-Islamic Relations; Cultural Leadership; Paul Kruse, founder of First Step Back Home; former Missouri State Representative Betty Thompson; Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri; architect John Burse, founder of the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group; Grace Hill Settlement House Member Organized Research Exchange, and Theresa Lovelace, chief executive officer of the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis. Click here for more information.
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FOCUS St. Louis is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a thriving, cooperative region by engaging citizens to participate in active leadership roles and to influence positive community change.