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When Melody Sharp was in first grade, her teacher taught her class how to say “good morning” in sign language.
Learning this phrase sparked Melody’s interest in American Sign Language. Now a senior at State College Area High School, she has dedicated the past 11 years of her life to learning ASL with her mother, Kim Sharp.
Melody’s passion for ASL had to be pursued outside of the classroom, as her schools did not offer sign language courses during her academic career.
She wants other children and teens to have the opportunity she did not have. Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Melody advocated for the increased presence of ASL courses in schools and the ASL certification of teachers in Pennsylvania.