Nehemiah Danjuma (Nigeria)

“To inspire every deaf student to think, to learn, to achieve, to care” is not only the ambition of the K-12 school for the deaf YES November Student; Nehemiah Danjuma (Nigeria) attends, but it is his mission as well; dedicating most of his almost 30 volunteer hours to the goal.

Nehemiah is a role model for the school’s motto. As a member of Junior NAD (National Association for the Deaf), he participates in weekly meetings to discuss issues and solutions related to school academics, finance, and events, building his leadership skills to one day become a future leader and advocate in the deaf and hard of hearing community.
As a member of the math committee, Nehemiah volunteered at the school’s “Family Math Night”. Children and their families learned math is fun through math-inspired games like discovering geometric shapes with play-doh and competing in a math scavenger hunt!

Every Friday, Nehemiah mentors the school’s first Robotics program; Junior

First Lego League team. Nehemiah advises the use of Legos and the children’s creativity to improve their math and science skills and show how science and technology impact the world around them. This is a highlight of his week.

Another highlight was volunteering at an event held by Deaf Overcoming Violence through Empowerment (D.O.V.E), an organization that helps the hearing disabled who are victims of domestic violence. He learned at this event an important lesson about himself and his community, “This is an experience I wouldn't forget. From what I learned, Sign language is not all about signing words. It is creativity; the creative way you tried to express yourself with hands, facial expressions, body gestures etc. and it's never exactly the same way with everyone. I mastered signs in words, but now I understand what I still lack.”

We know he will continue to seek out opportunities to make his and the school’s dream, a reality; and in this process will learn more about himself and the community he is a part of.

Nehemiah Danjuma was recruited and selected by Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS) and is placed in Colorado this year through the placement organization World Link.