Children in Arctic regions have a very high prevalence of hearing loss. Better Hearing in Education for Northern Youth (BHENY) recognizes hearing loss can create challenges for school attendance, literacy, academic success, and graduation rates. BHENY was awarded $300,000 for their plan to improve the lives of youth with hearing loss living in the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut. The diverse team of hearing health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups and Rotarians from the North and South will work towards improving learning and higher literacy rates for children in both Inuktitut and English. Their multipronged approach includes classroom-based sound amplification technology, professional development, training and support for educators, improving audiology services in the North, and enabling parents and the community to support the needs of children with hearing loss.
(Note that this project was a prize recipient prior to 2017, when the current 3-tiered prize model was put in place. Their prize therefore does not correspond to a particular category.)
