ELYSBURG - Five 2011 senior Bloomsburg University interns lent a hand Saturday at Knoebels Amusement Resort for Deaf Day.
"In provides the opportunity for the deaf to participate in community events they don't normally get to participate in. It also provides awareness to the general public," said Cindi Brown, a local state-registered sign language interpreter who coordinated the training program with Dr. Jessica Bentley-Sassaman.
Brown, of Bloomsburg, has spent 13 years as a freelance professional interpreter. She first entered into the program because her youngest brother was deaf and noticed how difficult it was for him.
Sassaman is also a professor in the American Sign Language/English Interpreter Training Program at the university.
The program was also an opportunity for the students, who walked at graduation in May and must complete a summer internship in order to be considered graduates, to practice their skills at live events, such the Time Machine Theater, magic shows at the Roaring Creek Saloon and live music at the bandshell, said Brown.
She, Sassaman and four other professional interpreters were available throughout the day to provide support for the students, assist them should they have problems and provide them with feedback once they were finished with the event.
"I find it to be a very beautiful language. It always fascinated me," said Courtney Tarselli, 30, of Hazleton.
The intern said she came back to school after nine years as a case worker for Catholic Social Services and wanted to look for something different and new.
Jessica Drago, 22, of Hunlock Creek, first knew she wanted to help the deaf at age 17 when she worked at a daycare with her mother. One of the children was deaf and couldn't communicate with the other children. When she bought a sign language book and started talking to him, she said he was excited.
"I just love it more and more," she said.