The community of North Canton and Hoover High School’s ASL [American Sign Language] Club recently collaborated to inform and educate the community about ASL. On March 14, Hoover held the SIGNing TOWN event, in which people from all different workplaces and careers came to learn how to use sign language to better reach, serve, and protect the community. ASL teachers Mrs. Victoria Mooney and Mrs. Susan Cammel had always planned to one day have the ability to host an event for the hearing community to learn ASL.

“Mrs. Cammel and I talk every year about teaching the hearing community sign language. We finally decided to write a grant to do it. We got the grant,” Mooney said.

Earlier this year, they initiated the grant and spearheaded the event.

“SIGNing TOWN is possible because of the North Canton Educational Endowment Fund grant,” Mooney said.

After the grant was approved, the two teachers and ASL Club worked tirelessly to prepare for the night by separating into different stations based on various careers, learning career-specific signs, preparing video demonstrations and creating interactive activities and games. At the very beginning of the planning process, Mooney and Cammel reached out to many people within the community, including North Canton Mayor Stephan Wilder, who then reached out to the community’s first responders.

“It was a great opportunity to interact with and witness their skill in communicating via ASL,” he said. “I think their energy in sharing their knowledge and skill in delivering a form of communication in support of the Deaf community was outstanding. They all appeared to be very confident in what they had learned. I would suggest that they all will have learned about and appreciate the benefits of their class in helping one another learn and grow to be the best person they can be.”

The goal of the event was to teach practical signs to residents and business owners who could then advertise their businesses as “Deaf-friendly.”

“We invited 70 businesses + Police, Fire and EMS. We had 27 tables set up like a TOWN (ie. FIRE, POLICE, EMS, coffee shop, ice cream shop, bank, drug store, school, restaurant [etc.]). Each table had a trifold board, hands-on activity, ‘Deaf-friendly’ tip and paper with [a] QR code for signing videos,” Mooney said.

Junior Trinity Seth has been involved in ASL Club since her freshman year, participating in various activities in which she has had the opportunity to interact with the Deaf community.

“While this event will help many Deaf people, I think it impacts the Hearing people in our community the most,” she said. “Now, hearing people in our community will be able to understand ASL and Deaf culture and also be able to interact with people they haven’t before.”

Seth continues about the impact of living in a Deaf-friendly community and describes situations in which being educated can help those in North Canton.

“Not only does SIGNing TOWN aim to teach Hearing people sign language, but it also aims to bring awareness of easy solutions to provide equity to the Deaf community. People may not realize, but in certain situations, the Deaf community is not considered,” she said. “For example, at a coffee shop, you know when you order is ready by hearing your name. Since they cannot hear their name being called out, giving them a number and holding up the number when the order is ready is an easy solution.”

Hoover High School Resource Officer Phil Taylor and service dog Kona also attended the event.

“As police officers, we’re always wanting to learn ways to help people. They gave us literature to study and carry in our vehicles…to help the Deaf community and show they are able to help and understand them,” he said.

Taylor felt the event was not only helpful but also educational in various ways.

“Just learning that there’s a lot to learn,” he said. “In a fast-paced world, we have to slow down.”

Mayor Wilder discussed the importance of such an event.

“The SIGNing TOWN event was a very simple and practical way of providing an opportunity for our community to learn and enjoy how to better communicate with the Deaf community. They are as much a part of our culture as anyone else,” he said. “There were so many wonderfully designed exhibits and stations to view and learn from. Participating SIGNing TOWN reinforced my belief we are all responsible for each other’s success.”