Just before sunset comes down across Prosper’s Children’s Health Stadium as the National Anthem plays, even those who can’t hear will understand the lyrics being sung. Members of the high school’s American Sign Language program will sign the words for the Homecoming crowd on Friday, 7 p.m., as part of their September Deaf Awareness Month efforts.
Communicating through a mixture of movements, non-manuals and fingerspelling introduces students to an entirely different culture every day during ASL classes. As teachers Brittany Middleton and Alex Hudson prepare to bring signs to life through mixtures of art, little–known-facts and candy, their students said they are excited to share about what they have learned about deaf culture all around the world.
Middleton, along with Hudson, will be hosting ASL Club and ASL Honor Society meetings twice a month on Thursdays, in the morning from 8:15 a.m. to 8:40 a.m., and afternoons from 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. In additions, they plan for an ASL Party in the learning cottages Thursday, Sept. 26, with games and learning activities for children and parents. The group also will represent at the school’s Open House event Oct. 10.
“I think this class has a lot of sharing to do.” senior Nicole “Lieu” Bancroft said. “I feel I’m really excited to see how this class is able to grow because we see a lot of things for Mexican awareness. We have a lot of things, such as Black History Month, and I’ve seen Deaf Awareness only in the portables, so actually seeing it in, the school hallways has been like something I’ve been so excited for.”
At the beginning of the school year, Middleton brought up the idea to her Honors ASL students and gave them the liberty to make ideas to spread information in a way for others not in the class to understand and make it fun.
“I am hoping that my students are going to be able to reach a bunch of the other students from a bunch of the other classes and actually be able to help others learn about deaf people,” Middleton said. “We’re making posters. We’re going to have candy. We’re going to have bracelets. We’re going to have as much information out there as possible, just so that everyone can learn a bit.”
This year, ASL students voiced their opinions on the importance of Deaf Awareness Month and their desire to see an understanding of deaf culture spread to others in the main classes who do not have the opportunity to participate in one of the ASL classes. Prosper offers ASL I, ASL II, as well as ASL III–IV, which are both honors courses.
“We have a community that we’re able to spread and talk about and learn about,” senior Cash Ball said. “I’m so excited to actually see them (the Deaf Awareness posters and activities) in the school building instead of just here. I’ve seen them just here a lot.”
The honor society and the club will join organizations from around the school from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to attract new members Oct. 10.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a good turnout this year,” Middleton said. “ASL students are encouraged to bring their friends and family to the event to see if they can win a prize.”
Middleton plans to continue on the path to set up their outreach efforts.
“We’re very excited to get started this year at PHS,” Middleton said. “We want our students out on the field signing the national anthem at all of our home football games, which is just another way that we can help spread awareness.”
