Gabes Callaghan has won New Zealand’s highest award for hearing-impaired children who are receiving their education in mainstream schools rather than special schools. Deaf and hearing-impaired children who are able to keep up with their hearing peers are, according to research in their field, like gifted hearing children. The Makere Mason Memorial Trophy recognises New Zealand’s highest achievement of a deaf student in a mainstream school, and this year it was awarded to Gabes.
The citation for the award and medal reads: For 2009, Year 11 student, Gabriel Callaghan from Garin College, Nelson receives the NZFDC Makere Mason Memorial Trophy for Academic Excellence - and he is seen here receiving it from Garin’s ORRS teacher Mary McEntyre at last week’s annual Awards.