McAlester’s Smith Graduates from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf

SULPHUR, Okla. — McAlester native, Shyann Smith, will graduate from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf at 1:00 p.m. on May 17th at, 1100 E. Oklahoma St., Sulphur in the OSD Event Center.

Smith was on the Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Volleyball Championship team in 2019, and GPSD Basketball Championship team in 2019 and 2020. She received a National Deaf Interscholastic Athletic Basketball Honorable Mention.

After graduation, she plans to go to college to become a nurse, lawyer, or actress.

She is the daughter of Gary Smith.

“It has been an honor knowing these amazing seniors even though I have only been here since January,” Dr. Heather Laine, OSD superintendent, said. “I am tremendously proud of the Senior Class of 2023.

“I believe we can look forward to great things from these students in the future. I wish them every success as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.”

This year’s graduating class also includes Melissa Angel of Shawnee; Jamire Baskerville of Norman; Kisharra Belarde of Tulsa; Clay Carroway Campbell of Altus; Omarion Crawford of Bartlesville; Cayden Ducharme of Marietta; Kaylee Jo Eveleigh of Oklahoma City; Peyton Fudge of Duncan; Aracely Rubi Hernandez of Duncan; Airrington Lee of Oklahoma City; Shannon Lewis of Ardmore; Shaliam Pabon of Tulsa; Jason (Jase) Eugene Sledd II of Sulphur; Shyann Smith of McAlester; Craig Williams of Lawton; and Ashlei Wolfe of Ardmore.

OSD is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), a state agency that assists Oklahomans with disabilities through vocational rehabilitation, education, employment, independent living programs and the determination of medical eligibility for disability benefits.

OSD has been located in Sulphur since 1908.  OSD provides residential and day school educational services at no charge for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  The school provides a range of outreach programs, including preschool programs and onsite consultation for public school students, their families, public school districts and communities statewide.

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