By Vivian Le, Managing Editor, & Bethany Pham, News Editor
This semester, Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) is offering an after-school American Sign Language (ASL) course for the first time, in partnership with Golden West Community College (Golden West).
The ASL 1 course is one of the classes offered through the dual enrollment program, which rewards students with high school and college credit for their work in one college-level class. This program is managed by the Huntington Beach Union High School District and Golden West.
The ASL 1 class satisfies 10 high school credits that fulfill the foreign language requirement as well as four college units. Since ASL 1 is open to all HBUHSD students, the two-hour class is taught after sixth period on only Tuesdays and Thursdays by Golden West’s ASL teacher Jaspreet Ghotra. Students can further pursue their ASL studies in an ASL 2 class offered on Golden West’s campus.
“[The class] is different from a traditional class because Ms. [Jaspreet] Ghotra uses her hands, and there’s no talking involved,” said senior Nicole Phan. “Interpretation is everything because, obviously, it’s ASL 1, so we don’t have enough [vocabulary knowledge] to actually understand everything, but she does email us and keeps us updated with Canvas.”
The class lasts one semester; however, there is a possibility that the class will take place at a different school next semester. FVHS will have little say in the matter of choosing to keep the class.
“Keeping this class open to our high school students is a decision that the school district is going to determine,” said school counselor Marilyn Wong. “Originally, they wanted to have this class at Huntington Beach High School, but there was a problem with their bell schedule, so they tried FVHS. That being said, they could move the class’s location next semester as they see fit.”
Wong, however, indicated the partnership might consider the wants of the students in offering more classes.
“I imagine that a high amount of student interest would help [the district and GWCC] in deciding what classes to offer,” said Wong. “If we look at the ASL 1 class held at Fountain Valley High School, I think they were aiming for at least 17 students to make the class. We were able to enroll more than 17, and that made the class a go.”
From a counseling standpoint, Wong sees only advantages from the ASL 1 class for FVHS students. As the counselor for remedial credits, she’s happy that there’s another option for students who aren’t interested with the traditional foreign languages offered by FVHS.
“Even if you have like the slightest interest, you should just try [the class]. It’s really fun. You’re learning a new language, [and] you’re exposed to a new community,” said Phan.
