While many students are learning to speak new languages, there is a small group who would rather learn to let their hands talk for them. The Sign Language Club is a new edition to the after-school activities offered here at Southwest.
“We’re raising awareness of the deaf culture,” club president senior Kristin Olson said. “And we’re trying to open people’s eyes while letting them learn another language.”
The club was started simply because a group of students wanted to learn this unique language. Two of the club’s members, Olson and junior Kat Jones, both know the language and are the teachers of the club.
“My grandma is deaf, and my aunt and uncle are both deaf,” Jones said. “I’ve grown up around sign language so it’s just something I kinda had to learn.”
The Sign Language Club meets every other Monday in Marilyn Brewer’s classroom, and any interested students are welcome to join. There isn’t a direct structure or required amount of words to learn in order to be in the club. The students decide how the meetings will go, and the content of what they learn.
“Kristin has different books, and we all just kinda sit and think of different signs we’d like to learn,” Jones said. “We look it up in the book, and then learn how to put it in sentences and apply it.”
The club is also trying to use sign language to give back to the deaf community. Once they learn more of the language, they are interested in going to the Olathe School for the Deaf and serving there.
“They have an annual Easter egg hunt later in the year and some other events, they are always looking for volunteers,” Olson said.
Sign Language Club is great for people who are interested in learning something new, reaching out to a group of people, and doing community service along the way. But above all, the members just do it to have a good time.
“It’s just fun!” Jones said. “It’s fun to learn new words, and there’s definitely more fun to it than just learning another language.”
“We’re raising awareness of the deaf culture,” club president senior Kristin Olson said. “And we’re trying to open people’s eyes while letting them learn another language.”
The club was started simply because a group of students wanted to learn this unique language. Two of the club’s members, Olson and junior Kat Jones, both know the language and are the teachers of the club.
“My grandma is deaf, and my aunt and uncle are both deaf,” Jones said. “I’ve grown up around sign language so it’s just something I kinda had to learn.”
The Sign Language Club meets every other Monday in Marilyn Brewer’s classroom, and any interested students are welcome to join. There isn’t a direct structure or required amount of words to learn in order to be in the club. The students decide how the meetings will go, and the content of what they learn.
“Kristin has different books, and we all just kinda sit and think of different signs we’d like to learn,” Jones said. “We look it up in the book, and then learn how to put it in sentences and apply it.”
The club is also trying to use sign language to give back to the deaf community. Once they learn more of the language, they are interested in going to the Olathe School for the Deaf and serving there.
“They have an annual Easter egg hunt later in the year and some other events, they are always looking for volunteers,” Olson said.
Sign Language Club is great for people who are interested in learning something new, reaching out to a group of people, and doing community service along the way. But above all, the members just do it to have a good time.
“It’s just fun!” Jones said. “It’s fun to learn new words, and there’s definitely more fun to it than just learning another language.”