Two students graduate from the Missouri School for the Deaf

Andrea Merritt/Fulton Sun photo: 
Maxwell Samborski receives his diploma from Christopher Daily, Superintendent of the Missouri School for the Deaf, during the Class of 2023 graduation ceremony on May 26.
Andrea Merritt/Fulton Sun photo: Maxwell Samborski receives his diploma from Christopher Daily, Superintendent of the Missouri School for the Deaf, during the Class of 2023 graduation ceremony on May 26.

The Missouri School for the Deaf held a graduation ceremony commemorating two students, David Hunt and Maxwell Samborski, on Friday in its school auditorium.

To kick off the intimate ceremony of roughly 70 friends, family and community members, Superintendent Christopher Daily quoted Dr. Suess.

"You have brains in your head," Daily said. "You have feet in your shoes. You could steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who will decide where to go. Congratulations again graduates go out and make this world yours."

During the ceremony, the graduates participated in many school traditions, including adding a ribbon to an oversized "class key" then passing it on to the upcoming senior class and touching the school's newel post thrice.

"Keys are symbols of opening and closing, as well as knowledge and success," Hunt signed when passing down the key. "MSD has affected our lives by opening a path to full access to language, knowledge and education, and we have succeeded. As we close out senior year, as graduates and new MSD alumni, the key represents opening the path for the new senior class."

The graduates also shared a self-created music video in ASL titled "Together" and a large painting of an eagle on top of an earth, which will be hung up in the school.

Dr. Christopher Moreland, a University of Texas Health doctor, was invited to speak during the ceremony. He offered the graduates three tips of wisdom for the future: diversity and creativity make a difference, work as a team and ask others for help.

"So, whatever you do in life you have the ability to make your community better," Moreland signed. "The key is, to believe you can."

After the ceremony, the graduate's parents reflected on their children's personalities and experiences at MSD.

"He (Samborski) is a goofy, fun-loving kid that loves to draw and loves dinosaurs," Crystal Short, Samborski's mother, said. "He's very spontaneous sometimes. He is an awesome kid, just awesome. I'm so proud of him."

David Hunt, Hunt's father, said his son "always makes him laugh" and "likes to work with his hands."

He also explained that MSD provided his son with a place to be immersed in Deaf culture.

"He (Hunt) was going to public school in Springfield, and he just felt like he was falling behind," his father said. "He just, you know, the culture, he wasn't immersed in it. He came here and he's just absolutely loved it."

After graduation, both Hunt and Samborski, plan to enter the workforce.

  photo  Andrea Merritt/Fulton Sun photo: David Hunt receives his diploma from Christopher Daily, Superintendent of the Missouri School for the Deaf, during the Class of 2023 graduation ceremony on May 26.