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Cornerstone Baptist Deaf Academy Incorporated (CBDAI) is one of the ministries of Cornerstone Baptist Church (CBC). Brief Historical Profile: One of the mission works that Cornerstone Baptist Church opened to its immediate community in Magurol-gurol, Anupul, Bamban, Tarlac was a school for the underpriviledged deaf in the area. Starting out with only 2 students, the CBC mission school was first established as a home-school program through individual sponsorships from the US. As it grew to more than 20 students, it eventually became a formal school that offered preschool and elementary education. In 2011 or 2012, Cornerstone Baptist Deaf Academy secured its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permit as a legal, non-profit organization and became the first academic institution for the deaf within the greater Bamban area and its neighboring towns as students and their parents from Capas, Conception, and Tarlac sought to avail of CBDA's education. Many of the classes held were mixed classes because many of the deaf have been unschooled for a long time. Cornerstone Baptist Deaf Academy, Inc. We believe in our enduring intentions, and that is to see our deaf get their education and take a bigger step in making their dream come true. With the eleven years we have operated, the Lord has blessed us with students and dedicated teachers. Each year, we have seen them grow with our school becoming a household name not just among our deaf children's families but largely in this area where alternative education is lacking and not readily dispensed. Our small school has become home to deaf children from four towns and 10 barangays of Tarlac. For four years these children have grown with us starting from zero knowledge in sign language to gaining the confidence of being and :feeling" regular school children. Many of them travel from neighboring towns just to access what we could offer them lost, that is, basic education, communication skills, Biblical values, and the renewed hope to build and lead their lives. We started as a small, "home school-type" religious institution, and eventually incorporated livelihood activities into our program. The latter coupled with languages and communication skills, youth camp socializations, and educational field trips developed in our deaf students the basic abilities to become independent members of their own communities. |
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