CISNY Honors the 28 Deaf Children Who Died in Makhachkala, Russia on April 10, 2003

A Program of Remembrance

May 22, 2003

An American Sign Language interpreter translates the words of CISNY Executive Director Roy Blash during the commem-orative event held in the American Sign Language & English School's library.

In response to a tragedy at a Russian school for deaf children, Communities in Schools, New York (CISNY) presented a memorial event at the library of the American Sign Language & English School (J47) in Manhattan. 

In April 2003, twenty-eight deaf students-mostly six- and seven-year-old boys-died in a fire at their school in Makhachkala, about 1,000 miles south of Moscow.  Rescue was difficult because many children were unable to hear the fire alarms.  Commenting on the tragedy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "All Russians are grieving."

At the J47 memorial event, students and faculty gathered with community leaders to honor the Russian children who perished.  Alekcay Rogof, Vice Consul General of the Russian Federation of New York City, expressed his sorrow at the tragedy.   The Russian Federation donated a commemorative book of Russian photographs to the school library.

Russian Federation Vice Consul General General Alexcay Rogof inscribes the front page of a book of Russian photo-graphs that his organization donated to the school library.

Dr. Roy Blash, Executive Director of CISNY, announced that CISNY will sponsor a pen pal and exchange program between New York City middle school children and their peers in St. Petersburg, to establish valuable friendships among children from the two countries.

Thanks to a generous donation by Margaretta Taylor and Family, CISNY was able to provide over 200 new books to the library at the American Sign Language & English School.  The collection includes such literary classics as The Secret Garden, Treasure Island and Huckleberry Finn, as well as non-fiction works, reference books, atlases, and hobby and craft books.  All books were donated in the name of the students who died in the fire at their school in Makhachkala, Russia.

The memorial event was graciously hosted by Dr. Martin Florsheim, Principal of the American Sign Language & English School, and Rebecca Marshall, Assistant Principal.