The Bloomington-Normal Deaf Club is bringing holiday festivities to kids who often miss out on some of the fun the season can bring.
Club President Keith Mathews and Vice President Christina Sansone visited University High School in Normal on Monday as "Signing Santa and Mrs. Claus." Both plan to visit deaf and special needs children in the area, whether at schools, hospitals, churches or other places where such a surprise would be welcome.
“There's not very many deaf Santas out there, so we try to give them the opportunity for deaf kids to see adults that are like them too,” said Mathews, of Atlanta.
Mathews and Sansone had conversations in American Sign Language [ASL] with the U-High ASL class, which is made up of non-deaf students learning the language. They had conversations with the students, including asking what gifts they are requesting for the holiday season.
“I had no clue it was coming,” said Katie Aitken, a senior who has been taking the class since it became available her sophomore year. “I mean, like, Mrs. Spotts told us yesterday that we should be at school today, because there's gonna be a surprise. But, like, I didn't know what it was.”
Jasmine Spotts has taught the ASL class for all three years. She said the need arose when deaf and hard of hearing students, whom she has taught at U-High for more than a decade, were struggling to communicate with other students.
“They would go to their classrooms and potentially be the only student that was deaf in that classroom with all these hearing peers, but yet they weren't able to have a conversation with them,” said Spotts. “And to me, that was like very isolating, and I wanted to see them develop friendships and have that opportunity to meet people that could sign with them”
The 2021 Illinois Disability Status report says roughly 384,200 Illinoisans, or about 3%, are deaf. As of 2024, there are just over 1,000 sign language interpreters licensed by the state. Aitken says this discrepancy is one reason why she plans to study deaf and hard of hearing education at Illinois State University.
“This class has really helped me figure out what I want to do with my life,” said Aitken. “It's great, I love it and like, it's taught me so much about the culture and the experiences.”
Aitken’s plan hit home for Sansone, of Bloomington. She spoke to and hugged Aitken after hearing of her desire to teach people like her.
“It’s wonderful, I’m proud of you for wanting to be a teacher. Thank you, you can never have enough. Thank you for making a real impact on those wonderful kids,” said Sansone.
The Bloomington Normal Deaf Club plans to host another Signing Santa event south of Downtown Bloomington on Dec. 13. Sansone said "you would be surprised" at just how many deaf and hard of hearing people there are in the area.
“We feel like in our time in Bloomington-Normal, we're very accepted by the community here. That's very important to us,” said Sansone.
