Miss-Delectable
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The Frederick News-Post Online - Frederick County Maryland Daily Newspaper
When Michael Tota learned Maryland School for the Deaf students could fulfill graduation requirements by teaching hearing people how to sign, he immediately volunteered.
Michael, who is deaf, thought teaching would be a good opportunity to interact with hearing people and help them learn more about deaf culture.
"I thought it would be fun," Michael, 15, said through an American Sign Language interpreter.
Frederick County is home to more than 16,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, said Kriste Hartman Kovarcik, MSD community relations specialist. To help promote understanding and interaction between deaf and hearing people, MSD began offering free two-hour ASL classes to businesses in 2004.
Employees learn signs related to their jobs while MSD students accumulate community service hours, Hartman Kovarcik said. MSD students must volunteer at least 75 hours to earn a high school diploma.
The classes began in 2004, but interest picked up during the past school year, she said. Eight MSD students have taught more than 100 employees at six Frederick County businesses, such as If the Shoe Fits.
Several more businesses, including Costco, Merrill Lynch and The Healing Way, have signed up for their first classes in the fall.
Two MSD students teach each class. Michael was paired with Bobby Harris, 17. They chose to teach at Best Buy because they are frequent customers and love technology. They taught three classes, each composed of about 15 Best Buy employees.
They anticipated class participants would be eager to learn, but were startled by the level of motivation, Bobby said through an ASL interpreter.
Even when he scratched an itch, people would imitate him, thinking he was showing a new sign, Bobby said with a laugh.
The class begins with a brief presentation on deaf culture, Michael said. For instance, it is OK to walk between two deaf people signing to one another, as long as you don't slow down.
Bobby and Michael showed the Best Buy employees how to fingerspell the English alphabet and then introduced specific signs for items, such as laptop and refrigerator.
Now, when Michael and Bobby shop at Best Buy, they often run into employees they taught, Bobby said. They are impressed by how much the employees' signing skills have improved.
Although both teens have already earned all the service hours they need, they plan to continue volunteering as teachers. Bobby hopes the classes help hearing people understand that deaf people can do everything they can do except hear. Michael wants hearing people to realize they don't need to fear approaching deaf people.
"Sometimes hearing people feel badly for me," Michael said. "I'd rather they consider me an equal."
When Michael Tota learned Maryland School for the Deaf students could fulfill graduation requirements by teaching hearing people how to sign, he immediately volunteered.
Michael, who is deaf, thought teaching would be a good opportunity to interact with hearing people and help them learn more about deaf culture.
"I thought it would be fun," Michael, 15, said through an American Sign Language interpreter.
Frederick County is home to more than 16,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, said Kriste Hartman Kovarcik, MSD community relations specialist. To help promote understanding and interaction between deaf and hearing people, MSD began offering free two-hour ASL classes to businesses in 2004.
Employees learn signs related to their jobs while MSD students accumulate community service hours, Hartman Kovarcik said. MSD students must volunteer at least 75 hours to earn a high school diploma.
The classes began in 2004, but interest picked up during the past school year, she said. Eight MSD students have taught more than 100 employees at six Frederick County businesses, such as If the Shoe Fits.
Several more businesses, including Costco, Merrill Lynch and The Healing Way, have signed up for their first classes in the fall.
Two MSD students teach each class. Michael was paired with Bobby Harris, 17. They chose to teach at Best Buy because they are frequent customers and love technology. They taught three classes, each composed of about 15 Best Buy employees.
They anticipated class participants would be eager to learn, but were startled by the level of motivation, Bobby said through an ASL interpreter.
Even when he scratched an itch, people would imitate him, thinking he was showing a new sign, Bobby said with a laugh.
The class begins with a brief presentation on deaf culture, Michael said. For instance, it is OK to walk between two deaf people signing to one another, as long as you don't slow down.
Bobby and Michael showed the Best Buy employees how to fingerspell the English alphabet and then introduced specific signs for items, such as laptop and refrigerator.
Now, when Michael and Bobby shop at Best Buy, they often run into employees they taught, Bobby said. They are impressed by how much the employees' signing skills have improved.
Although both teens have already earned all the service hours they need, they plan to continue volunteering as teachers. Bobby hopes the classes help hearing people understand that deaf people can do everything they can do except hear. Michael wants hearing people to realize they don't need to fear approaching deaf people.
"Sometimes hearing people feel badly for me," Michael said. "I'd rather they consider me an equal."