Mt. Pleasant Public Library offers free American Sign Language classes

Volunteers will teach participants as many as 70 American Sign Language signs in seven weeks during free, informal classes in April and May at the Mount Pleasant Public Library.

“Sign Language for Everyone” will be held at 6 p.m. April 2, 9, 23 and 29 and May 6, 21 and 28 at the 120 S. Church St. site.

“These are fun, easy lessons for just about any age. It can be an inter-generational experience, and people will get an overview of how American Sign Language works,” says volunteer instructor Christian Garcia of Acme.

For six of the seven classes, Garcia will discuss a specific topic, teach signs and hold practice. A guest speaker will teach one of the two Monday classes about the deaf community and their education, in addition to how an interpreter is trained, with time for a Q & A session.

According to a release, Garcia worked with the deaf at a Christian camp serving both hearing and the deaf in Tennessee. During college, he honed his sign language skills with classes and by interpreting church services.

He also served in a deaf ministry in Peru for a summer, enabling the community’s deaf to fully participate in every church event there for the first time.

Garcia’s wife, Rachel Garcia, is a library employee.

Details and registration: call 724-547-3850 or email mountpleasant@WLNonline.org