by KIM HILSENBECK
Two years ago, Kateryna McCaslin needed an idea for her Gold Award. As a Girl Scout in Troop 1905, she was plenty familiar with selling cookies out in the community. But when she encountered people who were deaf, she realized how difficult it was to communicate with them.
When she enrolled in an American Sign Language (ASL) class at Hays High School a light bulb went off. Kateryna decided to combine ASL with Girl Scouts and the Hays Hill Baptist Church choir. The combination led Kateryna to establish an ASL choir at her church in the fall of 2011.
“Once I found out how big the deaf community was in the Buda/Kyle area, I felt like there was a need in our church to reach the deaf population and share the Gospel with them,” she said. “When I started [the choir], I didn’t know if there would be much interest. But I found out there were many kids who responded.”
Pastor David Sweet said about six children joined the ASL choir under Kateryna’s direction.
The process was time consuming. First, for each song she taught to the choir, Kateryna had to learn the songs.
“I had to take the song, and break it down into the ASL format, called Glossing,” she said. “I often would video record me doing the songs and give the kids a DVD so they can practice. After learning the song, we would perform it at the church.”
Kateryna also taught the other choir members about the deaf culture and how to communicate with members of the deaf community.
“I tried to teach them many of the things I learned in ASL class,” she said. “It was really exciting for me to be able to teach the younger kids about something I was passionate about. I hope that I have instilled a growing passion for the kids to continue ASL,” she said.
Kateryna achieved her Gold Award earlier this spring.
The Gold Award in Girl Scouts is roughly equivalent to the Eagle Scouts in preparation and hours involved.
