The ASL club is one of several clubs here at Bellevue West. However, unlike many of those clubs, the ASL club is a new addition to the ever-growing number.
The club started in September 2024, ran by Rynn Reyes and sponsored by Special Education teacher Cindy Larson.
The club wasn’t created simply for the joy of having an ASL club at Bellevue West, it’s to help gain footing to pursue something bigger in the district.
“Well, for a while I have been working on trying to get an ASL class in the school district, at least in Bellevue West,” Reyes said. “And so part of that is I need to start a club so I can first get interest.”
The process was a “very complicated” one, with many steps needed to establish the club, let alone the class Reyes is set after. Before the class in the district could be established, Reyes had to gather interest with a club. But for the club, she had to find a sponsor, along with getting the club approved. The entire process, summed up by Reyes, was “not fun.”
Larson echoes the statement with a sponsor perspective on things. Larson mentions being “suggested to do it” because of what she does in the school along with past signing history, which is Special Education and Signing Exact English respectively.
“And then I said, ‘All right, well, I don’t know what I have to do. I’ll check with the powers that be,’” Larson said. “And I emailed Mr. Mauro and Mr. Rohlfs, and they said, ‘This is what you have to do,’ so, and then you have to fill out a form and then just send it back.
Despite the lengthy hassle to get the club up and started, Reyes still feels good about how things are going, even if the turnout in the club’s first year is low in both newcomers and returners.
“And definitely compared to the beginning of the school year when I first started it, I am feeling a whole lot better because now I actually know what I’m doing,” Reyes said. “I am less nervous and less anxious when I’m up there teaching.”
Junior Mace Morales, a regular attendee to the club, agrees with the sentiment Reyes shared.
“We have very few people. We’re always looking for more people,” Morales said. “If you do join, please, just please talk or sign. We love the communication, and we don’t have a lot of- most of the people there are pretty quiet.”
Morales has been attending “since it popped up” in September, and he believes the club has had a positive impact on him so far, given he entered the club with no prior ASL knowledge, showing up “completely blind to it.”
Larson agrees with Reyes, feeling “encouraged” by the club, despite the current lack of exposure and interest.
“But I just wish we had more kids that were interested, because it’s fun, you know. I think it’s an interesting way for kids to communicate,” Larson said.
The club meets every Friday after school, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in room 154.
