Testimonials
Thank you Color of Language!
We are a small program with 14 D/HH students in grades K-6. Each year our program goes on an overnight fieldtrip, this year we planned a 3 day, 2 night trip to Disneyland to coincide with Deaf Awareness day.
In the past we've participated in moderately successful fundraisers. This year we thought we'd try something new. We decided to sell your 2007 calendars. We chose your company because of the high profit margin, the ability to pre-sale ( no up-front fees), and the quick turn-a-round time. We had 14 students selling and 10 staff. Our original goal was to sell 100 calendars, unbelievable we sold 412 calendars, and raised over 3,200 dollars!
We believe our success was due to 3 important factors: advertisement, timing, and incentives. We advertised by making color flyers with a picture of your calendars, a description, and a short paragraph of what the funds would be used for. These flyers were in BOTH English and Spanish. We supplied each student and staff member with one packet. Staff members were encourage to send e-mails to family and friends. We also placed packets in the teachers lounge and county offices. In addition we encourage local ASL students to purchase calendars. We also advertised at local deaf pizza and coffee nights. Our timing had a lot to do with our success. We had a two week selling window that began just before Thanksgiving (a perfect time when friends and families gather) and ended one week after. We ordered our calendars the first week of December and they arrived 2 days later, just in time to send home with our students for winter break. Many people bought the calendars to give out at Christmas and as stocking stuffers. The late fall/early winter is the ideal time to buy calendars. We encouraged our students by offering pre-purchased Disney dollars to the top two sellers. We gave $20.00 Disney Dollars to the top-selling student and top-selling staff member.
We will definately sell these calendars again next year!
Joanna Hendrix and Kelly Sanders
Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Ralph Dunlap Elementary School
Santa Maria, CAEsther in Montana says:
I am very grateful for Color of Language. Before I used the Color curriculum from their "Adjective" series, I had tried to teach my son the colors and he could not grasp the concept. Then I tried the "Adjective" series and it wasn't long until he had mastered the colors. I am looking forward to more curriculum as they are produced.Jennifer of Riverside, CA said:
“My Spanish speaking parents loved the calendars! I used them on home visits as they have the English and Spanish printed words. The families continually requested that I bring them. They can hang them on the wall and have easy access to what we have already studied. They are a simple and fun way to learn necessary basic vocabulary to begin communicating with their Deaf child.”
I learned of you through a Florida listserve for disabilities. My personal interest in your calendar is for my daughter who is autistic and communicates primarily with ASL. The calendar will be a great tool not just for her, but her teachers, aides and therapists!!! Thank you, Tracy McKinless
They arrived Thursday, thanks! I'm impressed with the quality and color and so are several of my friends! Jeff Pollock
I've already received the calendars. I love them!! I had them less than a week after I ordered them. Merry Christmas! Janine Buzby
I was so impressed with (your materials) that I didn't even wait to ask my school to purchase them but bought them out of my own pocket before they had been completely produced. I purchased the three ASL tapes in English and the three in Spanish.
I had been a Family Educator at California School for the Deaf for 2 years and before that taught preschool for many years. I had been looking for something to help families learn to communicate with the young deaf children.
I started bringing the videotapes with me on home visits once they arrived. I used them from September to December with several families and then I was once again assigned to teach preschool as budget cuts in California deeply affected the Family Education Program. So I haven't had a chance to use it with a wide range of families.
I don't really like to loan my personal materials to families but made an exception to a spanish speaking family at the end of the school year and loaned them #1 of the Spanish series. I haven't gotten it back so I don't have their reaction yet, but they were very motivated and really wanted to learn.
Of the families that I used the tapes with, it was great to bring another dimension to the learning of ASL. As you know, working with families can be quite challenging at times and the Color of Language Videotapes is a new mode to present material. For Spanish speaking families, I've not been impressed with other video series as they are not ASL.
I personally contacted Captioned Media Program and requested that they include Color of Language videos in their selection available to families. I just hope that I am once again a Family Educator doing home visits so I can fully experience with families the value of these wonderful videotapes.
I hope this information helps. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.
Jennifer Bruno :-)
California School for the Deaf, Riverside