The Student News Site of Lake Central High School

Lake Central News

The Student News Site of Lake Central High School

Lake Central News

The Student News Site of Lake Central High School

Lake Central News

ASL Club furthers the connection between two communities

Hailey+Kitchell+%2810%29+watches+and+mirrors+farm+animals+and+the+American+Sign+Language+sign+to+correspond+with+each+as+Mrs.+Sarah+Mayer%2C+West+Lake%2C+demonstrates.+This+is+Kitchell%E2%80%99s+first+year+in+ASL+Club.+
Hailey Kitchell (10) watches and mirrors farm animals and the American Sign Language sign to correspond with each as Mrs. Sarah Mayer, West Lake, demonstrates. This is Kitchell’s first year in ASL Club.

Members of the ASL Club meet every other Monday to learn basics of American Sign Language (ASL) such as letters, animals, common phrases and history of the language. Mrs. Sarah Mayer, West Lake, is the club sponsor who strives to prepare the members to further any desired careers and make volunteer options available in the future.  

“I’m considering going into being a doctor of eyes or ears, so I think this would definitely benefit that,” Sarah Spivak (11) said.

Knowing several languages, especially ASL, can broaden job opportunities for dedicated students who have dreams to help the deaf or hard of hearing. This language inspires students to help others who are not as fortunate.

“They really have their own type of life away from everyone else and I feel that more effort should be given towards merging the hearing and the deaf communities. This [club] is kind of a start,” Hailey Kitchell (10) said.

The ASL Club has significant goals to centralize school communities that have deaf or hard of hearing students so they may communicate with the peers and adults they associate with on a daily basis.

“I’m a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing or consultant,” Mrs. Mayer said. “My goal is to get [the students in the club] into the community [because] there is such a shortage of American Sign Language interpreters who are certified.”

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