28-03-2025
North Mesquite High School hosts "Deaf World" to build empathy and awareness
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience the world with no sound?
As part of an immersive assignment, North Mesquite High School is helping students and the community experience just that.
The Deaf Education Program is hosting "Deaf World," a hands-on experience designed to foster empathy and shed light on the daily challenges of hearing loss.
"The whole world is now deaf, and you must be able to sign and communicate," said Christina Pinckney, a deaf education coordinator.
For the past few years, this interactive event has put hearing students in real-world scenarios, like checking into a hotel, ordering food, or dropping off a child at daycare, where they must navigate using only sign language.
"We're turning the tables on the hearing students, and they have to communicate with deaf students," Pinckney said. "So, what's that like? What are the challenges deaf students face?"
Each student goes through the hour-long experience before debriefing and reflecting on what they learned. The Mesquite community was also invited to participate, with the goal of spreading greater awareness and understanding of what it's like to live in a silent world.
"They come in and see the experience here, and they're like, 'Whoa, I didn't realize that being deaf involves having so many skills,'" said Baxter Chaney, a deaf education teacher.
For staff, the goal is simple: to show that being deaf or hard of hearing isn't a limitation, just a different way of experiencing the world.
"I want people to learn that deaf and hard-of-hearing students can do anything that hearing students can," Pinckney said.
Students say the experience gave them a new perspective and appreciation for the deaf community.
"They make it seem a lot easier than it is," said student Shelby Campbell. "It helps us relate to our classmates."
