Nearly 150 students want to forge a 'missing link' in Greensburg Salem Senior High School's curriculum. Sophomore Harold Enriquez of Greensburg recently distributed, and then tallied, a questionnaire to Greensburg Salem students. It determined he had sufficient backing to push for the creation of sign language courses, Enriquez said. He then circulated a petition that garnered 150 signatures from students who support the move. Enriquez presented the petition to high school Principal Timothy Shipley. Enriquez attached a request that the district institute a class in which students could be exposed to the basics of sign language. Upon receipt of the request, Shipley contacted the Association for the Deaf in Greensburg and set up meeting times to discuss this possibility. He is also looking into other options, such as a sign language club or classes held at the Association for the Deaf. 'This is not very far along. We may look at it as a club activity or even hold classes at the association, which is in walking distance from the school,' Shipley said. 'We are very, very early in the exploration process.' Shipley and a representative of the Association for the Deaf are gathering information to bring before the school board. 'Generally, we look at student needs and interests (to alter the curriculum), plus the parameters of what we physically have room for,' Shipley said. Enriquez hatched the idea when his mother, Victoria Winton, began to share with him information from the sign language classes she took at Seton Hill College in Greensburg. The concept so intrigued Enriquez that he began teaching himself sign language from a book borrowed from the Greensburg Salem library. Casy Zack, Enriquez's uncle, suffers an 87 percent hearing loss, making the student aware of difficulties presented by disabilities. Shipley and Enriquez are only aware of one student at Greensburg Salem High School with a hearing difficulty. Through his research, Enriquez has discovered '113 state colleges and universities already accept American Sign Language in fulfillment of foreign language requirements.' There is also a proposal pending in the state Legislature requiring secondary schools to establish and maintain courses in sign language for interested students. Shipley said, 'I feel it is a skill that greatly benefits students.' The possible forms of action have not yet been discussed with the Greensburg Salem school board and Shipley stressed again that they are still 'very, very early in the exploration process.'

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