Ms. Cook’s I, II, III, and IV American Sign Language classes showcased their signing skills during the ASL Choir Night on April 15 – 16 in the main auditorium. The show featured students as they signed the lyrics to popular songs. Vibrant and colorful backgrounds were projected, which emphasized the theme and general feel of each song.

To prepare for the show, the students glossed the lyrics (translated the words from regular English to American Sign Language) and learned the new signs with the help of Ms. Cook. Once they learned the signs, they practiced with the music to master the timing for their performance.

The show had a decade theme, and was announced by seniors Allison and Kate Halloran as they stood behind a Delorean prop from “Back to the Future.” Their commentary introduced each student and announced the song they would be signing.

The show opened with a number signed by all four ASL classes: “The Evolution of Music” sung by Pentatonix. The song is a medley of classics from different decades, and introduced the show’s theme perfectly. Other songs included “ABC” sung by The Jackson 5 and signed by the ASL III and IV classes, “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” sung by Elvis and signed by junior Alejandra Valle, “Stressed Out” sung by Twenty-One Pilots and signed by freshman Ruth Alexander, and “Centuries” sung by Fall Out Boy and signed by junior Madeline Capoy and senior Zuhel Bocachica Abduljaber. “It was a lot of fun, said Alexander. “I knew the song and I liked the song, so that made it a little easier to perform.”

The ASL Choir Night presented a unique opportunity for students to learn more about Lake’s ASL program and show support for the Deaf community. The passion Ms. Cook and her students have for ASL and their love and support of the Deaf community was very clear through their emotional performances. The show was lively and very enjoyable to watch, with both sweet and spunky performances from students and teachers alike.