EVENDALE, Ohio — St. Rita School for the Deaf hosted an American Sign Language fashion show on Wednesday featuring preschool through 12th-grade students to celebrate Deaf Awareness Month.
The event demonstrated that ASL is a language of its own, with students showcasing the alphabet and different signs associated with each hand shape. The show began at 9 a.m. with students walking the runway in aprons they spent weeks designing and decorating themselves.
"These kids have so much potential, but there is a language barrier between our students and the community. I don't think the hearing world is fully aware of their possibilities and capabilities," ASL teacher Victoria Bachand said.
The school has been providing services for 110 years to over 2,600 children with profound hearing loss and has expanded to support children with Apraxia, Down syndrome, and those on the autism spectrum.
Watch: Students prepare for the fashion show
St. Rita's has also hosted events highlighting history and student success in the deaf community.
The fashion show is just one of the ways the school is sharing stories throughout Deaf Awareness Month, with more content being posted online.
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