| Sign Language has been a huge part of my life since I was ten years old and learned about Helen Keller. I immediately fell in love with American Sign Language and like a sponge began absorbing the language through any means that I could find beginning with the alphabet which was printed in the very back of the book about Helen Keller's life. From there Sign Language entered my life in a most fortunate way when one Sunday morning a group of about ten deaf people came to the worship service at the church that my family and I attended. Much to my surprise an interpreter came with the group and interpreted the service. She was a highly skilled,RID certified interpreter and began teaching Sign Language classes for both children and adult members of our church. I was the first to "sign up" for the class and grabbed my seat in the front row with eyes wide open, taking in every move of her hands, every expression on her face, every move of her body. I was completely in love with the language and could not get enough of it. I learned quickly and very soon I was asked to sign the songs on Sunday mornings, an opportunity that I jumped on with my whole heart and soul. My career had begun. I was eleven years old. |