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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.

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.

This visit was supported through collaboration between the Lyle School District and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at ESD 112. Read more in the ESD Newsroom: https://www.esd112.org/news/dallesport-elementary-first-graders-deepen-asl-learning-during-visit-to-washington-school-for-the-deaf/