Miss-Delectable
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Absolutely no talking was allowed during a recent event at Desert Ridge High School, 10045 E. Madero Ave.
The rule of silence was not aimed at keeping students under control, but offered them a real sense of what a deaf person goes through each day.
For the school’s fourth-annual “It’s a Deaf, Deaf World,” which was held Oct. 23 in the school’s gym, students in the American Sign Language II class set up mock stores that other students were required to visit.
Students were asked to “purchase” items from each site without using their voice. Shops were manned by sign language students and helpful sign language diagrams were posted to offer help.
Student sign language interpreters were on hand, too.
Once a student successfully communicated their order in sign language, they were given a stamp and moved on to the next store.
American Sign Language is taught as a foreign language at Desert Ridge High School and is growing in popularity, according to teacher Geoff Kane.
“It’s the second largest, right behind Spanish,” he said, adding there are three Level I classes, with about 30 students each, and three Level II classes, also with around 30 students in each section.
The class is so popular that a Level III class might be added next year, according to Mr. Kane.
The skill can lead students to a career. Mr. Kane said there is a big demand for sign language interpreters and audiologists.
Savanna Nesbit is a Level II student and served as a sign language interpreter this year. The parents of a friend are deaf, which is what led Miss Nesbit to take the course.
“There are not a lot of people who know a lot about sign language,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know how to react to a deaf person.”
Miss Nesbit said she has learned a deaf person goes through life almost exactly how a hearing person would and believes the event will help fellow students realize the same thing.
Mr. Kane said deaf culture is taught as a part of the school’s American Sign Language courses. “It’s a Deaf, Deaf World” certainly is not about evoking pity, he said.
“It teaches them a little empathy,” he said. “Most deaf people are proud of the fact that they’re deaf…this is about walking in their shoes to get an idea.”
Absolutely no talking was allowed during a recent event at Desert Ridge High School, 10045 E. Madero Ave.
The rule of silence was not aimed at keeping students under control, but offered them a real sense of what a deaf person goes through each day.
For the school’s fourth-annual “It’s a Deaf, Deaf World,” which was held Oct. 23 in the school’s gym, students in the American Sign Language II class set up mock stores that other students were required to visit.
Students were asked to “purchase” items from each site without using their voice. Shops were manned by sign language students and helpful sign language diagrams were posted to offer help.
Student sign language interpreters were on hand, too.
Once a student successfully communicated their order in sign language, they were given a stamp and moved on to the next store.
American Sign Language is taught as a foreign language at Desert Ridge High School and is growing in popularity, according to teacher Geoff Kane.
“It’s the second largest, right behind Spanish,” he said, adding there are three Level I classes, with about 30 students each, and three Level II classes, also with around 30 students in each section.
The class is so popular that a Level III class might be added next year, according to Mr. Kane.
The skill can lead students to a career. Mr. Kane said there is a big demand for sign language interpreters and audiologists.
Savanna Nesbit is a Level II student and served as a sign language interpreter this year. The parents of a friend are deaf, which is what led Miss Nesbit to take the course.
“There are not a lot of people who know a lot about sign language,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know how to react to a deaf person.”
Miss Nesbit said she has learned a deaf person goes through life almost exactly how a hearing person would and believes the event will help fellow students realize the same thing.
Mr. Kane said deaf culture is taught as a part of the school’s American Sign Language courses. “It’s a Deaf, Deaf World” certainly is not about evoking pity, he said.
“It teaches them a little empathy,” he said. “Most deaf people are proud of the fact that they’re deaf…this is about walking in their shoes to get an idea.”
