Hands2Teach

☀️💦 Storytimes at the Pool are back for the summer! 📚🏊

We’re making a splash this year by visiting different pools around Peoria!
Cool down with fun, interactive stories and summer fun with the library. 🌊✨

📍 June 12 | 11 AM – 12 PM | Peoria Pool
📍 June 26 | 11 AM – 12 PM | Sunrise Pool
📍 July 10 | 11 AM – 12 PM | Centennial Pool
📍 July 17 | 11 AM – 12 PM | Sunrise Pool

Grab your sunscreen and join us poolside for stories and smiles all summer long! 😎

Know someone who would be perfect for this job? Tag them below!

We’re excited to share that Building Empathy: A Workbook for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Secondary Students is coming soon, and yes… it’s completely FREE! 🎉

This resource was designed to help Deaf and hard-of-hearing secondary students better understand empathy: recognizing feelings, understanding different perspectives, building stronger relationships, improving communication, and creating more supportive school communities.

What’s included?
✨ Student workbook
✨ Companion videos
✨ ASL glossary
✨ Classroom posters
✨ Ready-to-use activities and discussion prompts

Perfect for teachers, counselors, transition programs, and secondary classrooms serving DHH students.

Developed by:
Wadha Alshammari
Brandon Alves
Jacqueline Gonzalez
Emily Johnson
Anthony Laucevicius
Paige Newsted
Cynthia Ortega
Marie Qualls

Stay tuned for the release! 👀
Did we mention… FREE? 🙌

If you simply cannot wait for the release, email [email protected] for access to the materials!



ID:A pastel rainbow gradient background blends soft pinks, greens, blues, and purples with subtle glowing light effects across the page. Large bold black text reads “BUILDING EMPATHY,” with smaller uppercase text above it stating, “A Workbook for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Secondary Students.”

Simple black line-art illustrations of hands signing and gesturing appear throughout the cover, emphasizing communication and connection through sign language. On the left side, several illustrated hands point toward one another, while larger raised hands on the right side create a sense of empowerment and engagement.

At the bottom left, white text lists the workbook contributors: Wadha Alshammari, Brandon Alves, Jacqueline Gonzalez, Emily Johnson, Anthony Laucevicius, Paige Newsted, Cynthia Ortega, and Marie Qualls. On the bottom right, a white line and text reading “This Workbook belongs to:” provide space for a student’s name. The overall design feels welcoming, modern, youth-friendly, and visually connected to Deaf culture and communication.