Western Pa. School For The Deaf Dedicates New Dorm

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - There was a special celebration today at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.

A brand new residence was dedicated and it is already proving to be a hit among students.

"The current students love it and the students who have graduated, the alumni, they're asking, 'Why couldn't you do that when we were here?'" Don Rhoten said.

A total of 59 students moved into the new building on Sept. 7.

The project took about 18 months between construction and preparation.

"It's beautiful. It's truly a home away from home. It's just amazing," Samantha Gibbs said.

"For 18 months, our kids kind of doubled up in the dormitory and they never complained. This is a tribute to them, not only the kids who are enrolled today, but the students to be enrolled 10, 15, 20 years down the road. It's very, very exciting," Rhoten said.

The residence, located on the school's Edgewood campus, is 30,000 square feet and is divided up into pods.

There are sections for the youngest students, age 6 to the oldest.

The students, from all over the state, live at the school form Sunday evening through Friday afternoon.

"It feels comforting knowing that other people know what I have to go through, knowing the struggles of the outside world and how you have to deal with people who don't change for you. You have to help yourself," Gibbs said.

The new building not only offers more space than the old dorm, it's more modern and has geothermal heating and air conditioning.

More than that, it provides a perfect environment for living and learning.

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