Illahee Elementary School Welcomes Hearing Impaired Students For Marimba Demonstration

On Friday, June 13, Illahee Elementary School students will welcome 30 hearing impaired students from the School of the Deaf for a special marimba demonstration at Illahee. The School of the Deaf recently ordered a new marimba from the same company that Illahee purchased their marimbas from. The demonstration will take place from 8:55 a.m. to 9:25 a.m.

The teacher leading the group from the School of the Deaf is Mary Williams, a former music specialist in Evergreen Public Schools, who previously taught at Hearthwood Elementary School before losing her own hearing a few years ago. She contacted Tracy Hurst, music specialist at Illahee with the idea of Hurst bringing students to the School of the Deaf for a marimba demonstration.

"As scheduling got complicated, I suggested the possibility of the School of the Deaf students coming to our school," said Hurst. "My thinking was that I could have a class play a song or two for them then our students could work with hers as the "teachers" and show them how to play something- sort of how we do during our informances."

Also in attendance will be representatives from the America Legion who donated funds for purchase of the new marimba.

Illahee Elementary School is located at 19401 SE 1st St., Camas.