62nd Annual STS (2002-2003)
Finalists
Casey Ann Vaughn

NEW YORK
Casey Ann Vaughn, 17, of Inwood, studied the perceived math deficit of deaf students, and believes her behavioral and social sciences project for the Intel Science Talent Search offers a more precise explanation for the true source of the difficulty: reading comprehension. She has been fascinated by differences in learning styles since grade school. Casey concludes that when math questions are presented in traditional math symbols, rather than lengthy word problems, deaf students score better, scoring at their grade level. Although it would be a formidable undertaking to change instructional practices for deaf students, she suggests the effort would be worthwhile. Casey has worked energetically for deaf awareness at Lawrence High School in Cedarhurst, where she founded the American Sign Language (ASL) club. Active in service groups, she organizes food drives and works with children on literacy. A fluent ASL signer, she interprets religious services for deaf parishioners at local churches. Casey would like to attend Boston College and be a doctor. The daughter of Michael and Kathleen Vaughn, she is an avid researcher of 19th century Irish immigrant history on Long Island.