Dr. Frank R. Turk
Known as the “Father of the Deaf Youth of America,” Dr. Frank R. Turk has communicated his leadership principles to schools and programs for the deaf and hard of hearing across America, national adult and youth organizations, and deafness-related educational groups.
Turk is the founder of the National Leadership and Literacy Camp (NLLC), which was established in the summer of 2000 at his alma mater, the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD). NLLC program strives to convince the young campers during their formative years that they have the talent, education, and skills to do much more than they are currently doing. The program activities in a predominantly peer environment of leadership and intellectual growth are especially designed to eliminate the common self-defeating behaviors and transform these behaviors to self-confidence and self-esteem conducive to realization of the campers’ true potential as the persons that they can be.
In 1969, along with Gary W. Olsen, another reputable youth leader, he co-founded the Youth Leadership Camp (YLC) of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), which is dedicated to helping high school youngsters reach their leadership potential. The program provides opportunities for development of real life skills specific to success in higher education and the workplace and to confirm the fact that the campers possess po- tential for leadership and intellectual growth greater than they have been led to believe. They learn, among other things, that potential is a terrible thing to waste and that failure is not fatal … that it’s a valuable lesson we all learn on the road to success. It is better to try and fail than not try at all. Failure challenges us to higher heights of achievement, not new depths of despair. Failure is not defeat. Not trying is.
Turk was born and reared in Hibbing, Minnesota. He received his diploma from the MSAD, 1947; B.A. in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University, 1952; M.A. in School Counseling, the University of Maryland, 1969; and Ed.D in Educational Administration and Student Development, the American University, Washington, D.C. His occupational background includes Gallaudet University, 1952-1989, in various Student Life positions; Superintendent, South Dakota School for the Deaf, 1989-91; State Director, North Carolina Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 1991-97; Special Assistant to the
Executive Director, N.A.D.; 1997-98; Community Relations Officer, CSD, 1998-present; and adjunct professor, Western Maryland College, 1996-99. His lifelong community service includes 16 years as national director of the Junior National Association of the Deaf (JrNAD); member of several national boards of directors; accreditation committee of the Conference of Educational Administrators of the Deaf (CEASD); and consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader/trainer.