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Deaf Santa gives children a chance to say what they want for Christmas in American Sign Language

Posted at 2:51 PM, Dec 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-11 15:51:34-05

By HNN Staff

PEARLRIDGE (HawaiiNewsNow) - An annual Christmas tradition for deaf children is coming up at Pearlridge Center.

Every year for the last 27 years, deaf kids have had the opportunity to tell Santa their Christmas desires through American Sign Language at the mall.

“When approximately 150 keiki share their wish lists in American Sign Language (ASL) with Deaf Santa, the whole deaf community rejoices that these special tykes and their families are able to experience something that the hearing community takes for granted as a childhood rite of passage,” the center said in a news release.

This is the largest educational opportunity for about 150 deaf, deaf-blind and profoundly hard-of-hearing students from across the state.

The event will take place on Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon at the old Toys ‘R’ Us building.

Students with visual impairment (blind or low vision) from schools across Oahu will also participate in a simultaneous-but-separate morning of festive learning experience with their teachers at Pearlridge Center, organizers added.

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