Owens To Host Regional American Sign Language Conference
Area residents are invited to gain insight and knowledge into American Sign Language and the Deaf Culture as Owens Community College serves as host to a regional conference and comedy show titled “How Do I Say Hi?” on Friday, Sept. 7.
Presented by the College’s Office of Disability Services, Owens Student Government and Owens Raising Awareness Club, the conference will occur from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Audio/Visual Classroom Center, while the comedy show will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Mainstage Theatre. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Both events are open to the public.
The conference will commence at 9 a.m. with welcome remarks followed by morning and afternoon sessions for American Sign Language users and the Deaf Community, American Sign Language students and the general public. The different seminars during the morning and afternoon sessions will occur from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30-5 p.m.
During the separate sessions, conference attendees will have the opportunity to receive information about such topics as best practices when working with deaf and hard of hearing individuals, what is Deaf Culture, American Sign Language improvisation, becoming an interpreter and/or working in a deaf-related field and American Sign Language storytelling and poetry, among other topics.
The sessions will be led by nationally-known American Sign Language educators and performers Keith Wann, Peter Cook, Crom Saunders and Windell “Wink” Smith Jr.
Owens’ daylong event will conclude with a two-hour comedy show featuring Wann, Cook, Saunders and Smith Jr. The comedy show will include both improvisation and stand-up routines in American Sign Language. Voice interpreters will be provided during the performance. Tickets for the comedy show are $10.
For additional information, call (567) 661-7007 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7007, or visit the conference and comedy show website howdoisayhi.com.
Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.
Press Release Contact Name: Brad Meyer
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: Owens Community College
Organization Address: Perrysburg, OH