DEAF CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES, OTHERS AT CAMP.

Byline: Karen Thacker Special to the Daily News

When Buffy Sproul and her husband, Terry, visited Sequoia National Park 13 years ago he remembered attending summer camp as a boy, and came home with a determination to start a deaf camp for children.

Hearing-impaired himself, he felt a camp just for deaf children would help the kids share a common bond.

The dream began for the Sprouls in 1992 when they organized a nonprofit organization, Sproul Ranch, and brought deaf youngsters from all over the United States to the camp for free.

Terry died two years later and Buffy continued the tradition for another two years, staging the camp in the mountains near their home in Visalia. After moving to the Antelope Valley, she is restarting the camp here in the summer.

``At other kid's camps they have hearing and not hearing children, but the deaf kids feel left out,'' she said.

The camp has been held at different locations in years past, but will take place at Canyon Meadows in Lake Hughes this summer. A maximum of 60 children ages 6 to 17 will stay one week.

All children must be deaf, and the camp staff is closely balanced with half hearing and half deaf employees - all versed in sign language.

This allows the kids to pick up role models, network with friends and see many others coping with the same impairment.

In 1996, Buffy remembers one camper had never seen another deaf child. Her parents had mainstreamed her with other students.

``She was so excited - she'd say, `Look, there's a deaf child and look, there's another,' pointing at them,'' Buffy said.

Many children also pick up the misconception that they'll grow out of their hearing problem. It can be very traumatic realizing they won't ever hear.

Grouping them with a similar population builds their self-esteem, independence and social skills.

The deaf camp program is unusual in that it is free. Business and corporate sponsorships and fund-raising drives, like the Benefit Balloon and Kite Festival at the Lancaster Auto Mall next weekend, provide the $500 week fee.

Hugh Ehrlich, a balloon enthusiast and friend, became the fund-raising event coordinator for this year's camp, gathering fellow balloonists from all over the southwestern United States to take part in the festival.