Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Oct 23/02) - Clayton Ungungai may live in a silent world, but that hasn't affected his ability to follow the sounds of success.

Ungungai, 15, is a Grade 10 student at Alaittuq high school in Rankin Inlet.

Although the school system isn't easy for a deaf student, Ungungai has an insatiable thirst for knowledge which has him on a path heading towards a post-secondary education.

Ungungai has his own private American sign language (ASL) interpreter at school this year.

Brought to Rankin by Kivalliq Student Services, Robert Weaver is impressed by what he's seen so far.

"I'm working specifically with Clayton so he has access to the same information as the hearing students do," says Weaver.

"I'm not a teacher. I translate the information to Clayton so he understands."

Weaver is also working to develop ASL with Ungungai's parents and is providing detailed knowledge of working with deaf students to staff members at the school.

"Clayton has a real eagerness to learn. He's a bright student, and always wanting to meet people."

Ungungai met an exciting group of people earlier this month when he visited the Manitoba School for the Deaf in Winnipeg with his mom, Sandy, and Weaver. The experience was a comfortable one for Ungungai.

"Wherever I went, people were using sign language and I could talk to any of the students in the hall," says Ungungai.

"I really felt like I was among my peers, where it's very challenging being the only deaf student at AHS."

Ungungai says there are students at Alaittuq High who help make him feel connected to his surroundings by doing some finger spelling for him, but it's not the same as being among deaf students down South.

Like most Grade 10 students, Ungungai hasn't decided on his ultimate career path just yet, but he is leaning towards a post-secondary education in the sciences, possibly biology.

"I think school will be better for me this year, having someone quite fluent in ASL helping me.

"It's still a challenge for me though because I'm not always aware of what the other kids are talking about... teenager stuff.

"That was another area where I really felt at home during my time at the Manitoba School for the Deaf."