The Bakersfield College American Sign Language program sponsored its annual Deaf Awareness picnic April 28 in the Campus Center.
Professors, students and others from the deaf community within Bakersfield came to be a part of the day.
According to Department Chair for ASL and Foreign Language Pam Davis, “It’s the opportunity for our sign language students to interact with the deaf community, and we also use this time to honor students who have received awards and scholarships.”
According to BC Professor Thomas Moran, one student, Bianca Borrero, won a number of awards. Moran said these awards “will help her as she transfers in the fall to Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. This is the only liberal arts university for the deaf in the world,” Moran said.
Hearing students who attended the picnic as part of ASL class said they enjoyed their day. Evangalina Medel, an ASL student, said, “It was fun.their culture is different from ours, but they know how to have fun.”
Another student, Emmanuel Briones, said, “The picnic was great. I met a deaf guy named Adam and a classmate, and I won some games.”
According to Davis, the picnic is held every spring and as an end of the year function for everyone to attend.
The events throughout the day included various picnic games and door prizes and a raffle where one individual won $1,000 in gift certificates for travel.