The Official Student News Source of HSEHS

HSENews

The Official Student News Source of HSEHS

HSENews

The Official Student News Source of HSEHS

HSENews

Giving Students a Sign

One thing many people tend to brush off in today’s society is accessibility. Not just the ease of access to materials needed in school, or basic human needs materials, but the inclusion of other communication resources. More specifically, American Sign Language – and where it’s left out is in places that it could be added. Hamilton Southeastern’s own ASL Club goes out in the community to promote inclusiveness and accessibility, by signing the National Anthem at school sporting events.

“We have been doing ASL club for about nine years, and it probably wasn’t until five or six years ago that we started signing at sporting events,” ASL teacher Karen Colvin said. “We did it not just for the kids to show off their ASL, but for exposure to the community about how there is a large deaf community in our area; and odds are, there are probably deaf or hard of hearing people at the events.”

Students today generally only consider French, Spanish and German when it comes down to scheduling their classes. However, students that involve themselves in an ASL course during their high school career have found a new admiration for the language and connected community.

“I like how it helps us practice our skills outside of the classroom, but it also just reminds people at our school that there is a deaf community in Fishers,” senior and club member Kathleen Murphy said. “I think a lot of people know that there are deaf people around [Fishers] because they see them out in public, but on a day-to-day basis they just kind of forget about them.”

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Apart from practicing their skills in the language outside of the club, members also participate in even more to benefit the deaf community. Following their signing of the National Anthem of school sporting events, the club usually holds a bake sale.

“ [The bake sale proceeds] goes towards ISD, or the Indiana School for The Deaf,” senior and club member Trinity Manning said. “Honestly, it’s really great, because we’ll have a lot of deaf or hard of hearing people come up to us because they saw us signing the National Anthem, who tell us it’s really cool, and about how appreciative they are. It’s an overall really cool experience because you know you’re doing good for the community and the kids at the school.”

When not signing the National Anthem at sporting events, the members of ASL club go out to elementary schools within Fishers to teach younger kids about the language and hopefully get them inclined to learn more. Club meetings occur every Monday during SMaRT period, and all interested students are invited to attend.

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