Signing Santa makes a big impression on deaf students

From: WHBF, IL - Dec 22, 2003

Tacoma, Washington-AP -- The sounds of the season are normally the sounds of silence at a school for the deaf in Tacoma, Washington. But a deaf student has been able to bring the joys of Christmas to students at the Spanaway Elementary school by dressing up as Santa and reading their signed gift wishes.

Seventeen-year-old Korey Bringman has been playing the role of Santa for deaf children at schools in Washington's South Sound district for the past several years. He says it gives him a great sense of pride.

But even kids who can't speak get very excited over a chance to sit in Santa's lap. And Bringman says he has to slow his normal rapid-fire sign language so he can communicate clearly.

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