For Dallesport Elementary first graders in the Lyle School District, a visit to Washington School for the Deaf brought months of classroom learning into a new setting, one where American Sign Language (ASL) was not just something they practiced, but something they saw and used throughout the day.

On April 23, the class traveled from rural Klickitat County to Vancouver to attend Flying Hands, a Washington School for the Deaf competition that highlights student performance and visual arts. The visit gave students the opportunity to experience Deaf culture in a larger community setting while building on the ASL skills they have been learning in the classroom to support communication, inclusion and connection among peers.

That classroom connection shaped the day from the start. As they watched the competition, students closely followed the performances and tried to mimic some of the signing they saw onstage. Later, during lunch, they used what they had been learning in class to communicate with one another and with students and staff at Washington School for the Deaf. The language they had practiced at school was becoming something they could use beyond the classroom.

Students enjoyed some time on the campus playground

Students enjoyed some time on the campus playground

After lunch, the class spent time on the playground and then toured the campus. Throughout the tour, students pointed out things they recognized, including student artwork, classroom visuals and ASL learning displays around the school. Staff leading the tour signed with them as they moved through campus, and the students appeared comfortable and engaged, not just observing but making connections along the way.

Cece Anderson, first-grade teacher at Dallesport Elementary, described one of the most memorable parts of the day as watching her students lean in and participate.

“It was so exciting to see them engaged and curious to try to sign,” Anderson said.

She added that the visit gave students an immersive opportunity to experience a different culture, something she believes will stay with them. She also noted that students have been excited to learn ASL in the classroom, supported by staff and community members who regularly sign with them.

At Washington School for the Deaf, students saw what communication looks like when ASL is part of everyday school life. That matters at Dallesport Elementary, where staff have been helping students use ASL to support peer communication and to build a classroom culture rooted in inclusion, awareness and mutual respect. In a small district where these students will continue learning alongside one another for years, that shared experience carries added meaning.

Robbie Banks-Onthank, an educational interpreter for the Deaf at Dallesport Elementary and a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), said the visit gave students a chance to see that ASL is not just something they practice in class, but a living language used by an entire community.

“I hoped this visit would give our first graders a fun, memorable introduction to Deaf culture and communication,” Banks-Onthank said. “I wanted them to see that language and expression can be fully nonverbal and still deeply understood. By continuing to learn American Sign Language, they can help create a more inclusive learning environment for others.”

Learning has also been supported by Banks-Onthank’s mother, Wenokia Cusic, who is Deaf and regularly visits the class to sign with students. Cusic also joined the trip to her alma mater, where she was reunited with Despo Varkados, a former Washington School for the Deaf teacher and the mother of Lyle School District Superintendent Ann Varkados. Ann was also in attendance during the field trip. The campus playground is named in Despo Varkados’ honor, adding a personal touch to the students’ visit.

By the end of the day, the students had done more than tour a new campus. They had connected classroom learning to real experience, grown more confident using ASL and deepened their understanding of how people communicate and learn together.

This visit was supported through collaboration between the Lyle School District and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at ESD 112. Learn more about ESD 112’s audiology services >