Sixth graders win National Science Fair for deaf students with research about sign language, driving

From The Salt Lake Tribune:

Three students at Salt Lake City's Jean Massieu School for the Deaf took first place at a national science fair in late March for their research on the effect using sign language while driving can have on a deaf driver.

The trio of sixth-graders were the first Utah students ever to participate in the Rochester Institute of Technology National Science Fair for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in New York. They split $500 in prize money.

"A deaf person with a friend in the car typically has more accidents than when alone," said Riverton sixth-grader Tres Diaz through an interpreter.

To research their hypothesis, the students took turns operating a driver-training simulator while having a conversation with a passenger. The students learned signing and driving can be more dangerous than driving alone. Judges at the fair were impressed with the Jean Massieu students' unique project.

"It was a project that resonated with the deaf community," said Jordana Flavin, the boys' teacher, who accompanied them on the trip to New York.

"I think it really made a difference in these kids' lives," Flavin said. "Some of these kids have never thought about [attending] college before. Now it's an option."