Not only is Derby losing some of my favorite teachers, and my favorite principal, they are now losing my favorite class.

With ASL teachers, Katherine Murphy and Molly Pourhussin leaving the school has decided to not replace them, and replace ASL with another Art elective.

I am extremely upset and disappointed that ASL will not be returning next year, that students will not be able to have the opportunity I was given.

Derby High School only has two foreign languages you can take as classes, Spanish and German.

ASL wasn’t just “another language” for me and other students.

It opened my eyes and made me realize how much of an impact we can actually have on the people around us. ASL opened up a whole community with new opportunities for me.

One of the very first trips we took in ASL 2 was in the beginning of the year, we went to WAD (Wichita Association of the Deaf) and I was introduced to a new community.

Being able to see a community that has been excluded was a different experience for me.

Seeing all of their faces when we told them we were only in high school is something I will never forget.

It made me want to do better.

You know how students always say, “when will we use this in real life.” In ASL that was never a question.

We are required two community hours each semester, where we are expected to go out into the community and put our skills to the test.

In ASL the learning doesn’t stop.

I plan to share my knowledge and experience with anyone and everybody who shows any interest because that is the only way to make a difference.

To get people talking, get them learning about something bigger than themselves and how they can make a difference.