This year, our ASL 4 students took on a meaningful and creative project designed to connect with Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students across the county. From the beginning of the year, they focused on making ASL more engaging and accessible for younger Deaf kids by hand painting signs and creating interactive video content. Each student carefully selected fun, age-appropriate vocabulary to paint and sign, choosing words they knew would excite and resonate with young Deaf children. With signed permission, these vibrant student-led videos have been shared with DHH programs county-wide, and the response has been incredible. The kids absolutely LOVE them!

It is important to remember that around 90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents, many of whom never go on to learn ASL!! That is what makes this project so powerful. Seeing older students close in age to them using and celebrating their language helps make ASL feel fun, valued, and relevant.  These videos are a highlight for these DHH students and help launch them into summer with a smile. 😊

We invite you to check out these videos, learn a few fun signs, and feel free to share them with your family!

LINK: https://padlet.com/e015873/paint-a-sign-from-asl-4-xla4gu8h3bh6akda