Deaf Institute hosts 10th annual volleyball tournament

More than 600 people from as far as St. Louis and Iowa are expected to attend the Harper College Deaf Institute's 10th annual Coed Volleyball Tournament. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 26, in the Building M gym on the College's main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine.

Organizer Debby Sampson, an Instructional Specialist and Certified Deaf Interpreter with the Deaf Institute, said players look forward to the tournament all year. "We strongly believe that all deaf high school and college players should be given an opportunity to compete with their peers," Sampson said. "They can also mingle with hundreds of signers and role models."

The team from Hersey High School will be back to defend its title in the high school division, as will Harper College's team in the college division. Whitney Young High School and the University of Iowa, runners-up in the 2013 contest, will also be in attendance. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students with ID and free for children 12 and under.

Started in 1973, the Kimball Hill Family Deaf Institute at Harper College serves between 40 and 60 students from Illinois and beyond. It offers support including interpreting, video and/or classroom captioning, assistive listening devices, tutoring and academic accommodations such as extended exam times and note taking. In the fall, the Deaf Institute holds DeaFest, an annual celebration of deaf culture that includes a high school academic bowl, a film screening, speakers and an expo.

For more information about volleyball tournament, visit harperevents.com/volleyball. To learn more about the Deaf Institute, contact Access and Disability Services at 847.925.6266 (voice), 224.836.5048 (video phone for deaf and hard of hearing callers) or ads@harpercollege.edu.