From Far and Near for Silent Weekend 2024
During winter break from her Linguistics with a concentration in ASL/English Interpreting at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey, Joely DeMonte was scrolling through Facebook and came across a post in a group for trainings, conferences and CEU opportunities.
The post was about something in Michigan that she’d never heard of before called “Silent Weekend 2024”.
“Somewhat jokingly, I sent the link to my class group chat,” she recalled. “And they were all interested in going. We had never been to this event before and the opportunity was too good to pass up. The cost of the tickets, which included room and board, was very affordable to us as well.”
So Joely and five classmates bought Silent Weekend tickets (among the 77 people who attended the full weekend) and started figuring out ways to get to the event.
“We found that driving 713 miles, though tedious, would be our most cost-effective option,” she said with a smile. “We set off at 5 am and drove for 11 hours across North Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and finally Michigan.”
Was it worth it? Absolutely, she said.
“I would tell people who have never heard of the Silent Weekend that this event is well worth your time, money and travel,” she said. “No matter how far, it is worth it to make the trip and get involved in this rare and inviting event. The weekend is affordable, comfortable and an intensely immersive experience. The workshops and events planned were conducive to the education of myself and my classmates as ASL/English interpreting students. We were able to learn first hand from the Deaf community and seasoned interpreters in a safe and welcoming environment. We will surely be back next year.”
The committee that annually plans Silent Weekend aims for that kind of feedback but it’s still very welcome when it comes they admit.
Jennifer Kolhoff is the Workshop Coordinator for D&HHS, a position she has held since 2016. Her role provides important resources for what working interpreters want and need to maintain their certifications in the state of Michigan and for their continued learning in the field. And Silent Weekend is an annual highlight for her and her nine-person team.
“This event not only gives students a safe place to learn and grow their skills, but it’s also a way for D&HHS to give current and newly graduated ITP (Interpreters In Training) students more networking opportunities by giving them the chance to mingle with students and seasoned interpreters from other parts of Michigan and other parts of the country,” she said.
Kolhoff added that many of the student attendees, representing 12 different colleges and universities, come for the immersive experience and a fun time, but that the annual attendance includes people from a wide variety of settings and states (with eight different states and Canadian provinces represented in 2024).
“Others have said they come for differing perspectives and knowledgeable presenters and Continuing Education Units,” she said.
One such person is Libby Christianson, an ASL Therapist, from Blairsville, Georgia, who graduated from Gallaudet University in 1979 with a Master’s in Deafness and Counseling.
She came to Silent Weekend via a 13-hour drive because, she said, she felt like her signs are not where they needed to be for her work as a therapist for Deaf people.
A Google search on “silent weekend” led her to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, and she quickly signed up to attend the 2024 event. It was worth the drive, she said: “It is an experience like no other, and you learn so much.”
She also was grateful for the event’s inclusive ethos.
“It impressed me how friendly and kind everyone was,” she said. “No one made me feel inadequate. If I got a sign wrong, they kindly corrected me. If I did not understand something, they helped me. I learned a lot from the people around me there. I also remember how delighted I was to realize that I understood most of what the Deaf presenters were saying. That boosted my confidence and encouraged me to continue in the challenge of mastering ASL.”
Other attendees were equally impressed, and Kolhoff said she had a smile on her face as she read through the post-event evaluations which contained such gems as:
“It was so much fun! It allowed for conversation within teams and to get to know each other while improving our skills! It allowed us to use all of our senses and prepared us well for the weekend to come!”
“I really enjoyed having Jess speak and learning about her freelance experience and other areas of experience.”
“I really enjoyed this presentation and the real-world application to the Code of Professional Conduct.”
“I’m always happy for a workshop hosted by a Deaf presenter. She was so knowledgeable!”
“In 27 years, it has been hard to find a workshop that really teaches me something. Your class kept me interested and I learned stuff. Great job”
For her part, Kolhoff said the event is annually such a success because of a great team.
“Thank you so much to sponsors for their generous donations, to the committee for their volunteered hours and to YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids and Camp Manitou-Lin,” she said.
Stay tuned for Silent Weekend 2025!
