For a club that doesn’t require sound, The American Sign Language Club made a big bang as it entered VHS for the first time this school year.

In its first year, the club has 20 committed members having fun immersing themselves in the language. The students have different levels of proficiency but all feel it’s valuable to know sign language as a means of helping if deaf people need help in public places, or for any situation where they can help out and be a Good Samaritan.

VHS junior Renata Curcio, founder of the club, explained, “Since American Sign Language (or ASL as it is known) has been blossoming in the world as a true, legitimate language as well as a fascinating culture, I felt obligated to help it have a part of VHS’s divergent culture.”   

A normal day in the club starts as members “sign in” (pun intended) by cleverly signing their names. Renata then leads the practicing of new signs or they brainstorm ideas for future meetings and fundraisers.

“Some students have gotten quite good at the signs and are improving every meeting,” said Renata. And, some of them “have actually downloaded apps” to practice outside of meetings.   

It’s cool to think that everyone as babies has used sign language to express a need or want when unable to communicate verbally. Now we high-schoolers can verbalize words and learn to sign in this useful and sophisticated manner.