Student looking to raise money for new stage at Montana School for the Deaf and Blind

A former Flathead area student is raising money to help install a new ADA accessible stage at the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls.

Gracie Jones, a MSDB student from Flathead County who is both low vision and in a wheelchair, would love to be able to join her classmates on stage for school events and performances but is currently unable to as the aging stage has no wheelchair access.

Jones has taken on the challenge of changing that, not only for her benefit, but also for the benefit of countless future students at the school.

“The sooner we get the stage, the sooner I can be on stage with my friends,” Jones (Class of 2030) said.

According to the school, the current stage has served its purpose well for some of the most important moments of student’s young lives for more than 40 years, but it is time to replace the aging stage with a new, portable stage that is accessible to everyone.

“Our current stage is well past its prime and it’s well past time for us to have a stage that is all-inclusive for all of our students,” Superintendent Paul Furthmyre said. “This new stage would be a lot safer for everyone and we could set it up with the effort of just a single person, if need be.”  

A preK-12 school serving more than 1,200 youth (a 54% increase over the last five years) and their families in their own hometowns, MSDB’s goal is to promote and provide free and appropriate educational and social-emotional growth opportunities to all children (ages newborn to age 21) who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, and deafblind throughout the state of Montana.  

These students include 40 living on campus during the academic year.  

With one donor already issuing a matching gift challenge for up to $20,000 for donations made before the end of the year, Gracie and the MSDB Foundation still need to raise roughly $55,000 of the $83,175 needed for the new stage.

With her classmates coming from across the state, Jones is asking all of Montana to help with the effort so that all can enjoy performing at the school.

“This is disappointing because these are not ordinary school concerts,” Furthmyre said. “MSDB performances are extra special because students practice relentlessly to make each performance better than the last.”

  While Jones will not be able to join her classmates on stage for the MSDB winter concert next week, she is hoping to be on stage for the spring performance in May.

According to Furthmyre, the school hopes to be able to order the new stage in mid January and have it ready for use in April.

“This would be a good upgrade and our kids really deserve it,” he said. “They work hard to put on these performances and a lot of people don’t realize how special the performances are.”

  To donate, please mail or drop off a check to MSDB Foundation 3911 Central Avenue, Great Falls, MT  59406-6576.