Tennessee student encourages sign language education

WISE, Tenn. (AP) — Central High School junior Gabe Ringley studies building trades, participates in 4-H and hopes to become an athletic trainer.

But first, Ringley wants to see more people learn American Sign Language.

As part of a recent presentation by county 4-H students to the Wise County School Board, Ringley made the pitch for including ASL as an option for students’ foreign language requirements for graduation.

Ringley comes to his presentation from lifelong experience.

“I learned sign language when I was six months old,” Ringley said of his experience raised by his mother — a hearing child of his deaf grandparents, Kenny and Ida Potter.

“Sign language was actually my mother’s first language,” said Ringley. “My grandparents helped her adapt to a hearing environment by buying a television so she could watch “Sesame Street” to learn to talk.”

Ringley recommended that anyone wanting to get an idea of being a hearing child in a deaf environment should watch the film “CODA”

“It stands for child of a deaf adult, and my mother says it was very accurate,” said Ringley.

When Ringley and fellow 4-H students from the Wise and Norton area were getting ready to attend the state 4-H Congress earlier this year, he said everyone started thinking of topics for their presentations. 4-H extension office representative LeAnn Hill knew about his interest in sign language and deaf issues, he added, and she recommended he start from there.

“I’ve watched Gabe grow in the 4-H program from a little boy into a young man,” said Hill. “For him to step out and be a deaf advocate is impressive. I told him it’s something you know, are comfortable with and passionate about.”

There are 35 different types of sign language in the U.S., Ringley...