Deaf Education Advocates Foundation / DEAF

D.E.A.F. is designating 100% of all donations to provide equipment for the new STEAM Lab at the Washington School for the Deaf. 

Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) is building a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math (STEAM) Lab. The school hopes to have the lab fully functional by the 2025-2026 school year and they need our help. 

The STEAM Lab goal:

Students will design and build computers to create innovative robots and engage in esports and robotics competitions, fostering collaboration and inclusion among both deaf and hearing peers while enhancing skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Here is what a well-equipped STEAM Lab can offer:

• Building and repairing computer
• Apply engineering skills
• Coding with blocks or Python
• Completing STEM labs
• Esports
• Team Freeze Tag
• Robot Soccer
• Bucky Basketball
• Computer science coding
• Deaf Kids Code curriculum - partnerships with the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID)
• Using VEX code VR and engaging robotics-based activities, students will learn about project flow, loops, conditionals, algorithms.
• Creating with 3D printers
• Drones
• Making videos of their projects and progress
• Virtual Reality field trips

To achieve this goal WSD needs state-of-the-art technology equipment.  That's why D.E.A.F. is designating 100% of our Giving Tuesday donations to provide WSD with the IT equipment needed for the STEAM Lab. Our goal is to raise $10,000.                                                          

Your donation of any amount, $10, $25, $50, $100, $200, will help us meet our goal.  

Thank you for your support! 

About Us

Deaf Education Advocates Foundation (D.E.A.F.) is a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization created in 1989 for the purpose of raising funds necessary to improve and enrich the education of students at the Washington School for the Deaf (WSD).  The donations received have made it possible to fund activities, services, equipment, and experiences that might not be possible through WSD funding alone.  All donations go directly to our on-going projects such as financial support for academic, athletic, residential or community events, scholarships, Special Olympics, artist-in-residence programs and mini-grant awards to staff and students. In the past, D.E.A.F. has provided support for Deaf Academic Bowls, Math Team tournaments, Book Club materials, Youth Leadership camps, Cheer Leading camps, Western States Basketball tournaments, renovations for the concessions stand at the athletic field and many workshops and trainings.  For the students who live in the residential cottages, D.E.A.F. has provided funds for educational materials, books, toys and games, outdoor play equipment and arts and crafts materials. 

D.E.A.F. 2023-2024 fundraising events:
Dutch Bros Coffee's Buck4Kids, Trailblazers 50/50 Raffle, Giving Tuesday, GiveBig, Annual Fall Fund Drive