Campton, New Hampshire — Seven-year-old Ben O’Reilly, a first grader at Campton Elementary who is deaf and has additional special needs, was once largely isolated at school. His aide, Cheryl Ulicny, said he had no real connections with classmates or many teachers and spent much of his time alone.
Because New Hampshire lacks a state school for the deaf, Ben is the only deaf child in his district. At first, aside from Ulicny, almost no one at the school could communicate with him.
Things began to change when a few classmates started learning basic signs so they could include Ben. One student explained that learning to sign made it possible to play with and befriend him. That small effort quickly spread: the whole class picked up sign language, other teachers across grade levels enrolled in lessons, and staff began signing with one another even when Ben wasn’t in the room.
Ben’s adoptive mothers, Etta and Marlaina O’Reilly, were deeply moved to learn how much the school had changed. They described feeling overwhelmed seeing their son connect with peers in ways he hadn’t before.
Schoolwide, nearly every student and staff member now knows at least some sign language. Educators and Ben’s family say the difference has been dramatic. Ulicny said she watched Ben’s world open up as signing showed him a new, reliable way to communicate, and his parents noted how clearly the school’s efforts improved his social life and sense of belonging.
What began as a few classmates learning a few signs turned into a community-wide shift toward inclusion, demonstrating how small actions can create meaningful change for a student with different communication needs.