The 14th annual Disability Awareness Week at Hope College is running Monday-Friday, April 1-5.
The week is an effort to promote understanding of persons with physical and learning disabilities, and will feature a variety of activities open to the public in addition to those for the campus community. Admission is free to all events.
The week's activities will begin Monday morning with a wheelchair challenge that will have invited members of the college's student body, faculty and staff undergo a mobility impairment simulation.
There will be a poetry reading on Monday, April 1, at 8 p.m. in room B27 of the Peale Science Center. Members of the Hope community will read their own work as well as works by others that discuss disabilities.
On Tuesday, April 2, participants will be able to simulate a variety of disabilities, including mobility impairment, hearing impairment, vision impairment and learning disabilities, as well as have an opportunity to gather information about a number of hidden disabilities. The simulations will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the main floor lounge of the DeWitt Center.
On Tuesday, April 2, at 9 p.m., a descriptive video version of the film "Ghost" will be presented in the DeWitt Center Kletz. The video, designed for audiences with vision impairments, includes audio description of action on- screen. The Kletz will provide free popcorn and soft drinks.
The week's keynote address will be delivered on Wednesday, April 3, at 7 p.m. by Chris Hunter in the DeWitt Center Herrick Room. Hunter's multi-media presentation will include historical and current perspective on sign language and deaf culture. RID-certified interpreters will sign during the event.
On Thursday, April 4, at 9 p.m., a descriptive video version of the film "Mr. Holland's Opus" will be shown in the DeWitt Center Kletz. As with the film on Tuesday, free popcorn and soft drinks will be provided.
The week will close with an ice cream social on Friday, April 5, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the DeWitt Center Kletz.
Cook Hall is located at 115 E. 10th St., between College and Columbia avenues. The DeWitt Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. The Peale Science Center is located on College Avenue at 12th Street.
Additional activities are also being coordinated in conjunction with the week. A full schedule of events may be obtained by calling the college's student development office at (616) 395-7800.