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Elementary school choir to perform the anthem in sign language at Tigers game | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press
The choir filed into the gym at Eastover Elementary School in Bloomfield Hills, squirming with nervous energy as they lined up for a brief concert for classmates and parents -- a warm-up for their big gig Tuesday performing the national anthem at Comerica Park before the Tigers game.
None of the students, however, opened their mouths to sing along to the Celine Dion recording of "Because You Loved Me." Instead, on director Tony LaPerna Jr.'s cue, the students began forming words with their hands and pouring their emotions into their facial expressions.
Before Tuesday night's 7:05 p.m. game against the Texas Rangers, the 70-member Sign Choir is to sign before thousands of Tigers fans as middle school teacher Joyce Stearnes Thompson sings the anthem at the stadium. Thompson is the youngest daughter of Norman (Turkey) Stearnes, the Negro leaguer inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000. LaPerna contacted the Tigers organization and asked whether the choir could perform.
"It's going to be really fun," choir member and fourth-grader Dani Phillips said. Dani lives in Bloomfield Township.
LaPerna said his choir will become the largest ever to perform the anthem before a Tigers game and also the only choir in that setting to perform the anthem in a language other than English. He said the 2-year-old choir is one of few signing choirs open to hearing kids. About 10% of the choir members are deaf or hard of hearing. Eastover offers programs for hearing-impaired kids, attracting students from across Oakland County.
The choir is funded by the Sylvan Lake-based Deaf Community Advocacy Network, which pays for uniforms, recordings, a sound system and prizes for choir members. Students are taught American Sign Language.
Taylor Tomalka, a hearing fourth-grader at Eastover, said she quit the school's regular choir to join the signing one. The choir has unique advantages, she said.
"If you make a mistake, no one can hear you, they can just see you and if they're looking at someone else, maybe they won't notice," she said.
The choir filed into the gym at Eastover Elementary School in Bloomfield Hills, squirming with nervous energy as they lined up for a brief concert for classmates and parents -- a warm-up for their big gig Tuesday performing the national anthem at Comerica Park before the Tigers game.
None of the students, however, opened their mouths to sing along to the Celine Dion recording of "Because You Loved Me." Instead, on director Tony LaPerna Jr.'s cue, the students began forming words with their hands and pouring their emotions into their facial expressions.
Before Tuesday night's 7:05 p.m. game against the Texas Rangers, the 70-member Sign Choir is to sign before thousands of Tigers fans as middle school teacher Joyce Stearnes Thompson sings the anthem at the stadium. Thompson is the youngest daughter of Norman (Turkey) Stearnes, the Negro leaguer inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000. LaPerna contacted the Tigers organization and asked whether the choir could perform.
"It's going to be really fun," choir member and fourth-grader Dani Phillips said. Dani lives in Bloomfield Township.
LaPerna said his choir will become the largest ever to perform the anthem before a Tigers game and also the only choir in that setting to perform the anthem in a language other than English. He said the 2-year-old choir is one of few signing choirs open to hearing kids. About 10% of the choir members are deaf or hard of hearing. Eastover offers programs for hearing-impaired kids, attracting students from across Oakland County.
The choir is funded by the Sylvan Lake-based Deaf Community Advocacy Network, which pays for uniforms, recordings, a sound system and prizes for choir members. Students are taught American Sign Language.
Taylor Tomalka, a hearing fourth-grader at Eastover, said she quit the school's regular choir to join the signing one. The choir has unique advantages, she said.
"If you make a mistake, no one can hear you, they can just see you and if they're looking at someone else, maybe they won't notice," she said.