Our Vision
A world where Deaf children and youth participate fully in family, community, and economic life. |
|
Our Mission
Deaf children, Deaf youth, their families and communities
are engaged, educated and elevated through in-school and experiential learning.
Please Join Us On October 23rd For This Remarkable Event!
For more information and to puchase tickets online: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/garden-luncheon EEESMA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF A TOP 50 FINALIST OF THE $1 MILLION GLOBAL SCHOOLS PRIZE 2026 EEESMA School for the Deaf was selected as finalist for the 2026 Global Schools Prize, an initiative of the Varkey Foundation that recognizes the world’s most innovative and impactful schools that are reimagining education for the future. EEESMA was selected in the Inclusive Education category, from among nearly 3,000 nominations and applications from 113 countries worldwide. Tucked into the heart of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, EEESMA is a remarkable charity-run school transforming the lives of 31 Deaf and hard-of-hearing students aged 4 to their mid-20s. Founded in 2012 to address a profound gap in bilingual education for Deaf children in central Mexico, the school operates entirely on grants, donations, and fundraising, with no government support, yet has built a Deaf-centred educational model that rivals far better-resourced institutions. At EEESMA's core is a "language-first" philosophy. Students are fully immersed in Mexican Sign Language (LSM) throughout the school day, paired with written Spanish literacy. Many arrive having never met another Deaf child or fluent signer, yet leave as confident communicators, engaged learners, and empowered young adults. The school's bilingual model was shaped through partnerships with IPPLIAP (Mexico City's leading Deaf school), the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, Flagler College, Kent State University, and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology. The school's achievements are deeply human and measurable. Seven students have graduated from the high school program (Prepa en Línea), with seven more on track by 2027. Six EEESMA graduates now serve as teaching assistants, and one alumna completed an online university degree in education and now teaches primary classes — a powerful testament to long-term impact. Several older students have transitioned into meaningful community employment. Innovation is woven into everything EEESMA does. In partnership with NGO Signs & Smiles, the school co-created Señas y Sonrisas, Mexico's first open-source LSM-Spanish learning app, empowering families to learn sign language at home. The school also produced a free printed LSM manual with Mexico's Department of Social Services (DIF), now distributed across the region, and organised a rural ear-health clinic that screened over 200 children. EEESMA is living proof that every Deaf child, given language, love, and opportunity, can thrive. |
Check latest newsletter - Sep 2025 https://conta.cc/47OukqX
|
"A good education is the greatest gift you can give yourself or anyone else."
Mahtab Narsimhan
OUR STORY & STAFFIt all started when a group of seven dedicated local residents and professionals had a special interest in helping deaf students in the community
|
PROGRAMSWe provide vocational training, sign language classes, and offer, by donation, handcrafts made by the students in the Jewelry, Carpentry and Sewing Workshops.
|
GET INVOLVEDLearn about our scholarships, sponsorships, community outreach and other ways that you can support educating our students
|