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www.MyRecordJournal.com - Being deaf is 'a way of life'
Those with hearing often see deaf people as having a specific medical condition, but being deaf is a lifestyle and carries an entire culture with it. For Marnie Sellers and members of the Little Theatre of the Deaf, the goal is to relay this message to today's youth and foster cultural understanding.
Sellers and theatre members Vikee Waltrip, Karla Marrero and Ian Sanborn performed for more than 400 students at Derynoski School Wednesday, using stories and skits to teach them a variety of words and show the beauty of American Sign Language.
"Not all kids have the exposure to other cultures that they should have and our goal is to give them that opportunity," Sellers said. "Most people don't see being deaf as a culture, only a clinical thing, but it really is a way of life."
The program was sponsored as part of a yearlong project to support cultural diversity, said Derynoski Parent-Teacher Organization member Julie O'Reilly, chair of the cultural arts program. O'Reilly said the purpose was to show that cultural difference means more than just differences in race.
As a touring company, the Little Theatre of the Deaf has been traveling the nation for more than 40 years, sharing its way of life with others. The company is comprised entirely of actors and actresses who are hearing impaired and members have appeared on several national programs, including Sesame Street.
Students were well engaged during Wednesday's program, with many holding their hands high and imitating the signs made by company members. The company used mime activities and student suggestions to help keep its audience entertained, but the students said it was as educational as it was fun.
Fourth-grade students Riley Freehling, Leandro Alejandro and Eddie Vitcavage had never seen any sign language before, but all three left the program able to show the symbols for tree, stop, go, line up and more.
Vitcavage said he had never had an interest in sign language before the program, but after seeing what they are able to do, he is interested in learning more. He said he thinks it could be a valuable tool later in life, whether for himself or in communicating with others.
"It was different, watching them perform great stories and making it seem very easy to communicate," Alejandro said. "It's cool; I could never do that."
The participation was encouraging for the performers, Waltrip said, and the response that she and her company received from students such as the fourth-graders is exactly why she performs today.
Waltrip said she became involved in the program to connect with others who are deaf, but quickly fell in love with performing. While traveling the country, she began to realize how important their performances were for others who were either partially or entirely deaf.
"There are 10 million people in North America that were born deaf, another 10 million who are hearing impaired and 10 million more that become deaf later in life and with the way kids are listening to music today, those numbers are increasing," Waltrip said. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this program a 15 in importance."
Those with hearing often see deaf people as having a specific medical condition, but being deaf is a lifestyle and carries an entire culture with it. For Marnie Sellers and members of the Little Theatre of the Deaf, the goal is to relay this message to today's youth and foster cultural understanding.
Sellers and theatre members Vikee Waltrip, Karla Marrero and Ian Sanborn performed for more than 400 students at Derynoski School Wednesday, using stories and skits to teach them a variety of words and show the beauty of American Sign Language.
"Not all kids have the exposure to other cultures that they should have and our goal is to give them that opportunity," Sellers said. "Most people don't see being deaf as a culture, only a clinical thing, but it really is a way of life."
The program was sponsored as part of a yearlong project to support cultural diversity, said Derynoski Parent-Teacher Organization member Julie O'Reilly, chair of the cultural arts program. O'Reilly said the purpose was to show that cultural difference means more than just differences in race.
As a touring company, the Little Theatre of the Deaf has been traveling the nation for more than 40 years, sharing its way of life with others. The company is comprised entirely of actors and actresses who are hearing impaired and members have appeared on several national programs, including Sesame Street.
Students were well engaged during Wednesday's program, with many holding their hands high and imitating the signs made by company members. The company used mime activities and student suggestions to help keep its audience entertained, but the students said it was as educational as it was fun.
Fourth-grade students Riley Freehling, Leandro Alejandro and Eddie Vitcavage had never seen any sign language before, but all three left the program able to show the symbols for tree, stop, go, line up and more.
Vitcavage said he had never had an interest in sign language before the program, but after seeing what they are able to do, he is interested in learning more. He said he thinks it could be a valuable tool later in life, whether for himself or in communicating with others.
"It was different, watching them perform great stories and making it seem very easy to communicate," Alejandro said. "It's cool; I could never do that."
The participation was encouraging for the performers, Waltrip said, and the response that she and her company received from students such as the fourth-graders is exactly why she performs today.
Waltrip said she became involved in the program to connect with others who are deaf, but quickly fell in love with performing. While traveling the country, she began to realize how important their performances were for others who were either partially or entirely deaf.
"There are 10 million people in North America that were born deaf, another 10 million who are hearing impaired and 10 million more that become deaf later in life and with the way kids are listening to music today, those numbers are increasing," Waltrip said. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this program a 15 in importance."