Seventh Annual Deaf Expressive Arts Festival showcases literary forms and art

American Sign Language students from Casper College, Kelly Walsh High School, and Dean Morgan Middle School, as well as local deaf community members, will be showcasing a variety of ASL literary forms as well as student-created art on Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the Wheeler Concert Hall from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

The Deaf Expressive Arts Festival — or D.E.A.F., which is in its seventh year at Casper College, is a collaborative effort of American Sign Language classes taught at Casper College by Gail Schenfisch, at Kelly Walsh High School by Maria Paris, and Dean Morgan Middle School by Joan Mahnen. During the event, students will share their love of ASL with the community.

Local deaf community members and students will perform traditional ASL ABC, number and classifier stories, percussion signing, and folklore stories. “This intergenerational presentation and sharing of ASL and its culture help build and establish an appreciation of the deaf community and the importance of being global citizens learning diversity through world languages,” said Schenfisch.

The festival is free and open to the public, and interpreters will be provided for all hearing guests.

The Wheeler Concert Hall is located in the Music Building on the Casper College campus.

For more information about the festival or the American Sign Language Studies degree offered at Casper College, contact Gail Schenfisch at 307-268-2588 or gail.schenfisch@caspercollege.edu.

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