Discovery Retreat

Discovery Retreat 2025 brought together 19 incredible deaf and hard of hearing campers from schools all across Texas for an unforgettable adventure at Camp Buckner in Burnet, Texas. This year also marked the 20th anniversary of Discovery Retreat.  The theme for this year’s Discovery Retreat? Forensic Science.

Campers became real-life investigators— through analyzing blood and handprints, collecting clues, and piecing together hidden evidence to uncover the truth to a mystery. The campers and camp staff were honored to welcome two inspiring guest speakers: Erica Treviño and Eric Waters.  Erica is the first Deaf female police officer in Texas! She currently serves as a Detective for the Dalhart Police Department in Dalhart, Texas.  Eric, who is also Deaf, is an evidence collection specialist for the Travis County County Police Department. They both shared their personal, powerful stories about their journey and experiences.

The quick weekend was filled with hands-on learning, team building and forging new friendships. One of the highlights of the camp was our thrilling Mystery Dinner, where campers applied their new skills to uncover a mysterious crime. It was a fun, suspenseful, and unforgettable night!

To make the celebration even more special, we welcomed Aaron Mowell and David Coco, the pioneers of Discovery Retreat.  They were treated with picture slides uncovered from previous Discovery Retreats and shared stories about how it all began 20 years ago.  Both Aaron and David shared appreciation for how far the program has come in empowering Deaf and hard of hearing teens across the state while supporting the continued growth of the program for many more years to come.

From solving mysteries to celebrating friendships, this year’s Discovery Retreat at Camp Buckner reminded us that it’s not just about fun—it’s about self-discovery, leadership, and adventure. Here’s to the next 20 years of inspiring young minds!

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This past weekend, we welcomed 19 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students from across Texas to a hands-on culinary adventure in Cedar Park, Texas! Over three days, students explored the art and science of cooking, while also building leadership and teamwork skills.

A Special Kickoff
We had the honor of welcoming Chef David Uzzell from Signs of Good Food, who joined us via Zoom from Minnesota to share his inspiring journey as a deaf chef. He guided students through the process of making beef and vegetable empanadas, offering step-by-step instructions and pro tips along the way. Students were captivated as he shared how his hearing loss never held him back from pursuing his passion for cooking. The highlight? Learning that he once cooked at the White House under President Obama! By the end of the session, students were eager to ask questions, gaining valuable insight into resilience, determination, and following their dreams.

Cooking Meets Creativity

The heart of the retreat was our interactive cooking sessions, where students put their culinary skills to the test in a series of fun and challenging activities. With guidance from TSD staff members and special guest Laura Parra, our very own CTE teacher, students learned how to navigate a small kitchen space efficiently, sharpening their cooking techniques along the way. This experience was especially valuable for those with diverse communication needs, as they worked together in a fully inclusive environment.

What’s on the Menu?

Students prepared a mouthwatering spread, featuring:
Mains: Macaroni and Cheese, Italian Baked Meatballs, Grilled Mexican Street Corn, Garlic Butter Steak Bites, Sautéed Green Beans, Steak Kebabs, Grilled Zucchini, and Baked & Fried Chicken Wings.
Desserts: Air-Fryer Donuts, Sautéed Dates, Funnel Cakes, Glazed Grilled Bananas, and Easy Cinnamon Apple Cake.

A Taste of Science

Beyond cooking, students explored food science experiments, uncovering the differences between real and processed whipped cream through hands-on testing.

Beyond the Kitchen
Outside of cooking, students challenged themselves with thrilling outdoor adventures—conquering high swings, zip lines, rock climbing, and archery. These activities strengthened their confidence, problem-solving skills, and teamwork.

By the end of the retreat, students left with not only new cooking techniques but also a deeper appreciation for the science behind food and the power of collaboration. We can’t wait for the next adventure!

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Over the weekend of November 8-10, 2024, we hosted 23 juniors and seniors from across Texas for an exciting culinary-themed retreat in Cedar Park, Texas.

Friday night kicked off with a special guest speaker, Antonietta Alfano, from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT/NTID). She introduced students to RIT/NTID’s programs and answered their questions about college life and opportunities.

Our weekend team-building activity was led by Marcus Sylvester, who challenged the students to build gingerbread structures using their creativity and teamwork—especially impressive since many of them were meeting each other for the first time. The exercise was a big success!

We were also thrilled to have our very own TSD staff Susie Guitonli join us to teach students how to work efficiently in a tiny kitchen setting. For some students who are oral or have limited ASL knowledge, this was a unique hands-on learning experience without the use of an interpreter. They learned about nutrition, meal prepping, and cooking techniques while communicating effectively in an inclusive environment.

What was on the menu?
For lunch, the students prepared:

• Caprese Panini
• Fresh Tomato Soup
• Pesto Pasta Salad

For dinner, they cooked:

• Spaghetti
• Fresh Garden Salad

Beyond cooking, we explored food science with fun experiments! The students learned how to test for real cheese by observing if it melts correctly, comparing syrups (discovering that real maple syrup has just one ingredient), and tasting the differences between Mexican Coca-Cola and American Coca-Cola. We even made homemade whipped cream to compare it with store-bought versions.

In addition to the culinary activities, students took on outdoor adventures, including high swings, zip lining, rock climbing, and archery. This combination of cooking, science, and outdoor challenges allowed students to bond, develop teamwork, and leave with new skills and unforgettable memories.

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Over the weekend of February 23-25, 2024, twenty-two students from seventeen different Texas cities, descended upon Variety’s Peaceable Kingdom (PK) in Killeen, TX, to learn about the many career opportunities possible in the field of engineering. We had two fantastic groups of presenters: The NERD Girls in STEM, students at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Atomic Hands, https://atomichands.com a great online STEM resource for parents, students, teachers, and professionals. We started the weekend with some fun ice breaker games then got down to business with our first presenter, Elizabeth Ayers, a Co-Advisor of the NERD Girls and faculty member at RIT. Liz presented on Medical Engineering, highlighting the medical applications of engineering and how technology and healthcare have intersected with the development of equipment such as X-ray, MRI, Cat Scan, and so many other tools used in the healthcare industry these days. She also brought some equipment for ‘show and tell and touch’ to shed a little more light on the work of Medical Engineers. Friday night, Kayley Judd, one of the NERD Girls and a Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) student, presented about her journey into MET, the types of internships she has held, and what her goals are in this field. She then led the students in an activity that they became totally engrossed in: building a ferris wheel or roller coaster with K’nex! The students worked on these every chance they got throughout the weekend. Not only was this a fun exercise but Kayley’s rules also encouraged the development of communication strategies between each group’s members. We ended Friday night with Recreation Time in the PK theater—games, movie, laughter and popcorn! On Saturday, after a great presentation by Liz Ayers about RIT’s Engineering Program, Sophia Riegle, also a NERD Girl and a Biomedical Engineering (BME) student, shared her journey up to this point and her goals with this degree. She instructed the students on making a prosthesis for the leg using wood, tape, PVC, plungers, etc, and then set them loose to see what they created. All five groups did a good job with their designs and they all learned that there is a lot more involved in building a prosthesis than just what it looks like. Later in the evening, both Sophia and Kayley shared the history and objectives of their group NERD Girls in STEM. Saturday afternoon the students took a break from their mental exercises and went outdoors for the ROPES course—a favorite activity for many students! Once we were all back in the cool of the Lodge, Anthony Maginty and Hayden Morris, both Civil Engineers who are also part of the Atomic Hands STEMist Network, took the stage. They shared their backgrounds and industry experiences and then challenged the students to start building…but, before the groups could complete their task, Anthony and Hayden threw them a ‘curve ball’, much like actually happens on a building project. The students had to figure out what to do if they were over budget, or were building too close to a cemetery, or Mother Nature intervened (aka, they added sand or water to the group’s build). The students did a great job trying to solve the issues together and were very attentive when Anthony and Hayden gave them constructive advice. After a long day of mental focus, most of the students chose to hit the court for a little basketball competition during Recreation Time. That was fun! As Discovery Retreat came to a close on Sunday, there was a time for Student Reflection with each other and Student Presentations for their families. Each group presented what their hardest and easiest challenges were working in a group and also how this weekend impacted their consideration of a career in the engineering field. Some were now more focused on that goal, others wanted to explore it more before deciding, and still others felt it wasn’t the career path for them, but overall this retreat gave each an expanded view of engineering from which to make their decision.

 

Browse the photos here.