How IAYP and Sign Language Inspire us

Eloise from Grade 10 has kept busy being part of the International Award for Young People (IAYP) and has successfully completed her Bronze Award. The IAYP programme offers students the possibility to focus their efforts on working with youth at risk, as well as underprivileged people with social, physical and economic challenges. Learning about Eloise’s success, we connected with her to find out more about the IAYP journey and why students should join the programme. 

Receiving this award was very gratifying since it proved all my hard work was worth it – Eloise, Grade 10 

Eloise started her IAYP venture because she has the ambition and will to explore new areas, knowledge and skills, while pushing herself beyond the limits of her comfort zone. “I also felt very thankful since this experience was amazing and I discovered new passions”, says Eloise, whose been giving online lessons to a school for underprivileged children as part of her charity component, learning the basics of sign language and how to sign different songs, while also picking up tennis – a sport which she truly enjoys.  

But for Eloise the IAYP does not stop with an award. “I enjoyed learning how to communicate using sign language and I learned how to sign various songs which I found extremely fun, so I will continue to build my ASL vocabulary in the future”, says Eloise, who thinks that learning even the basics of sign language is important, since deaf people are unable to communicate with those around them.  

At TISB, IAYP is available for all students from Grade 9 and above, and is something which Eloise strongly advice fellow students to get involved with: “I definitely would advise others to take part in this programme because it is an amazing opportunity to learn more about yourself and the world around you. And moreover, it is just a lot of fun.”