Open Your Hands and Hearts to A New Language

Heritage Creates New American Sign Language Club.

Open Your Hands and Hearts to A New Language

James Hoekstra, Writer

Heritage has recently founded an American Sign Language club for those interested in learning. Held on Tuesday during B tassel, this club is being led by English teacher Mrs. Weaver, who started this after a request from Isabelle Campbell.

ASL is the third most used language in the country. As such, it’s beneficial that Heritage gave us a way of learning it. 

“I’m not fluent, however, it was my major in college, so I know it well, I’m just out of practice,” Mrs. Terri Weaver said.

Several students showed interest, and especially if it could count as a language credit.

“I’d join if it counted as a language course, definitely,” Samantha Walsh (9) said.

While it’s not available as a class and doesn’t count as a credit yet, it may be viable in the future.

“I think if we got enough people interested in it then it’s definitely a possibility,”  Isabelle Campbell (10) said.

This club started because one person chose to take initiative.

“Izzy Campbell came to me and wanted to start a club, I told her if she could get ten people we could do it,” Weaver said.

This language not only gets around no talking rules in stricter teachers’ classes, it also better allows us to communicate with audibly disabled people.

“I had a friend in another state who was deaf who was teaching me but then I moved away and I didn’t get to finish learning,” Campbell said. “So I wanted to start learning from someone at my current school.” 

All in all, it seems like an interesting and useful club worth considering for those with the time.

“My favorite part is the moment when I speak to them in sign language and then they just get it,” Weaver said. “The confidence and realization on their faces.”