New Hampshire School Learns Sign Language for Deaf Student

A small New Hampshire elementary school just showed the world what true inclusion looks like by learning an entirely new language for one lonely first grader.

Seven-year-old Ben O'Reilly is deaf and the only deaf student in his entire school district in Campton, New Hampshire. For months, he spent his days isolated, unable to connect with classmates or teachers beyond his aide, Cheryl Ulicny.

"He didn't have relationships with his peers or teachers, for that matter," Ulicny explained. "He was very alone. And he acted very alone."

New Hampshire is one of the few states without a dedicated school for deaf students. This meant Ben had almost no one who could communicate with him in his own language.

Then a few classmates, including Reid Spring, decided to change that. They started learning simple signs so they could play with Ben and talk to him during the school day.

"If he's your friend, you can play with him, and he's my friend," Reid said simply.

What began as a gesture of friendship from a handful of kids quickly spread. The entire first grade class committed to learning sign language together, practicing daily and using it to include Ben in games and conversations.

Teachers in other grades noticed and wanted in. They began taking sign language classes and using signs regularly, even when Ben wasn't in the room.

Sunny's Take

When Ben's adoptive mothers, Etta and Marlaina O'Reilly, learned that an entire school had learned their son's language, they could barely process the magnitude of the gift. "It's incredible," Etta said. "I could barely breathe. Like it was just so overwhelming."

Today, nearly every student and staff member at Campton Elementary knows at least some sign language. But the real transformation isn't in the vocabulary they've learned.

It's in the message they've sent to one little boy: You belong here, and we'll do whatever it takes to make sure you know it.

One child's loneliness sparked a school's determination to speak the language of kindness.