Bryan Station Middle School in Lexington is using the morning announcements as a tool to teach students American Sign Language.
Everyday a student from the deaf and hard-of-hearing class signs the Pledge of Allegiance to students over the school's morning news show. Teachers say the announcements have helped students overcome shyness about signing in public by having a new way to communicate with their peers.
"It's really helped their self-confidence, and they don't feel so different anymore. They are the cool kids in school right now," said Kristin Eggen.
Teachers say they have received a great deal of interest in sign language by students who are not in the hard-of-hearing classes. They developed a program where if a student learns 100 words in sign language and the alphabet they receive a sticker to place on their locker to display their accomplishments.
