Sign Language Challenge
Students from East and West Forest recently competed in The Very First Amazing Forest Area Sign Language Challenge, organized by Mrs. LuEllen Gibbons, Speech Pathologist. This first challenge was called The 12 Signs of Christmas. Teams were formed at both schools and they were tasked with learning one ASL (American Sign Language) sign per week. The object of the challenge was to raise awareness and support for students at the schools and other people who utilize sign language to communicate.
Teams of students and staff learned 12 signs: Go, Stop, Play, Eat, Drink, More, Help, Friend, Walk, Sit, Stand and All Done. They were judged on their signing skills by a group of friendly elves. All of the 9 teams from East Forest were able to produce the 12 signs, resulting in a tie breaker drawing to determine the winning team.
Mr. Pappas and his “Nerds from Third” team won the tie-breaker drawing at East Forest and they received a holiday party basket filled with Christmas cheer! At West Forest, the winning team was also the third grade class of Mrs. Schmidt. They received a pizza party as their prize. The real prize, however, is that now many students and adults in both schools can communicate with non-verbal members of our community and school system.
The next challenge will be called Hippity Hoppity Hands. Details will be announced soon. Shown in this picture are some West Forest students practicing the sign for “stop”: (left to right) Preston Hitchcock, Huckleberry Spas, Jo-Anna Gillenwater, Brently Baggley, Leo Rivera, Colten Hillard, Hunter Flick.
