On June 9-12, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, hosted the second annual Sign School Basketball Camp. The event was for children, ages 7-12, with any hearing impairment.

A total of 24 children attended the camp, mostly from the St. Louis area. Each day, the children had a Bible study, followed by instruction on basic basketball skills. Interpreters and hearing impaired volunteers, as well as Seminary students, assisted the children.

“The kids were able to interact with each other, to learn the Word of God, and to have the same opportunity as anyone else to go to a camp, ” commented Kara Scherff, director of the Sign School. “I think it’s important for them to have something special set aside just for them every year.”

Seminarians David Bergelin and Matthew Canion volunteered at the basketball camp. “It was an opportunity to get some kids together and, hopefully, bring some smiles to their faces, regardless of any impairment,” commented Canion.

This fall, students will be able to take sign language classes as part of their cross-cultural module of field education. The sign language classes will be held for nine weeks on the Concordia Seminary campus, and will include two observation periods in deaf churches.

For more information on Concordia Seminary’s Sign School, call (314) 505-7120 or e-mail signschool@csl.edu.