Last October, ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition visited the Oregon School for the Deaf. The show aired on Halloween.
The Oregon School for the Deaf is 140 year old school fro students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Every year as a fundraiser for their school they host a haunted house, called "Nightmare Factory." However, the 12,000 square foot space used to hold the haunted house was in much need of a makeover, including a new concrete floor to replace the dirt floor.
With the help of professional haunted house designers and celebrity volunteer Rob Zombie, the Extreme Makeover team went to work improving the space as well as updating the the spooky Halloween effects.
Just above the space being given a facelift is the boy's dormitory. That space was also rebuilt, allowing for 8 residential students. The school is also preparing for an addition to house 48 students.
Not only were the students thrilled to see their school get help, but they also received some new, more personal gifts. Starkey Hearing Foundation treated more than 100 students, family members, faculty and alumni from the school to a trip to its headquarters in Eden Prairie, MN. More than 500 hearing aids were fit on the guests and they all got to meet actress Marlee Matlin.
"Oh my heavens, it was amazing," director Patti Togioka said. "The students learned a great deal and when they returned from Minnesota we noticed the communication skills of the students went way up. It was helpful to the younger kids who hadn't been exposed to as much signing; and for the parents who went on the trip, their signing improved as well. Really, truly, that was a whole bonding experience. The dorm staff and teachers were able to spend more time together and the same with the parents."
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