# Deaf Students Perform National Anthem at Phillies Game > Deaf students from Pennsylvania School for the Deaf perform national anthem at Phillies game, aiming to boost community visibility. - Title: Deaf Students Perform National Anthem at Phillies Game - Summary: Deaf students from Pennsylvania School for the Deaf perform national anthem at Phillies game, aiming to boost community visibility. Deaf students performed… - Keywords: pennsylvania school for the deaf, philadelphia phillies, american sign language, deaf awareness month, citizens bank park, national anthem, deaf community, seattle, news, local, Deaf, Students - Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/deaf-students-attending-phillies-game - Published: 2026-09-28T19:36:04.627+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: pennsylvania school for the deaf, philadelphia phillies, american sign language, deaf awareness month, citizens bank park, national anthem, deaf community, seattle, news, local ## Deaf Students Perform National Anthem Students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf performed the national anthem at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night alongside a choir from Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School. > Students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf attended a Phillies game and performed the national anthem in ASL alongside a choir from Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School in New Jersey. ## Deaf Community Experience Games Differently Deaf people often feel more attentive to game details than hearing people, focusing on visual cues rather than sound. > Deaf people often feel like they are more attentive to the game, the details of the game, as opposed to hearing people. ## Deaf Applause Rhythms Deaf fans use a shimmering motion called deaf applause, sometimes likened to jazz hands, to express crowd energy. > Deaf fans use the American Sign Language equivalent called the deaf applause, a shimmering motion sometimes likened to "jazz hands." ## Deaf Awareness Month Event About 100 Pennsylvania School for the Deaf students, teachers, and family members watched peers perform the national anthem during Deaf Awareness Month. > About 100 PSD students, joined by teachers and family members, watched their peers from the stands as part of an event celebrating Deaf Awareness Month in September. ## Pennsylvania School for the Deaf History Founded in Germantown in 1820, the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is the third-oldest school for the deaf in the United States. > PSD was founded in Germantown in 1820 and is the third-oldest school for the deaf in the United States. ## Deaf Employment Challenges More than 40% of deaf adults in the U.S. are not employed, but increased visibility helps break down barriers to opportunity. > More than 40% of deaf adults in the U.S. are not employed, Draganac-Hawk said, but giving the public more exposure to the capabilities of deaf people helps break down barriers to opportunity. ## Ciarra Coleman's Vision Ciarra Coleman, a senior at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, wants the public to gain respect for the deaf community's culture and history rather than viewing them through sympathy. > Ciarra Coleman, a senior at PSD, was among the students who performed the anthem Friday night. ## Deaf Community Strengths Deaf people are more than broken; they have leaders, contributions to the world, and potential that the public often overlooks. > Deaf people are more than just broken. We have so much, so many leaders and people who really contribute to the world, and (people) have no idea. ## ASL as a Language American Sign Language is the third-most commonly used language in the U.S. behind English and Spanish, with rich detail and localized gestures. > American Sign Language is now the third-most commonly used language in the U.S. behind English and Spanish. It's deeply nuanced, often rich in detail and even includes localized gestures that can convey slang terms in a Philly "accent." ## Deaf Students at Phillies Game Levi Stokes, a PSD student from Chester, got his first chance to set foot on a baseball field during the event. > Levi Stokes, another PSD student from Chester, got his first chance to set foot on a baseball field Friday night. ## Phillies' Postseason Plans The Phillies clinched a wild-card berth with their 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and head to Atlanta to start their postseason run against the Braves on Tuesday. > The Phillies' final homestand of the regular season appeared bleak until the bats came alive on Sunday and the team clinched a wild-card berth with their 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. ## Deaf Community Integration Deaf people use non-verbal communication, and the presence of interpreters helps bridge gaps in understanding between deaf and hearing communities. > For the hearing community, there's an etiquette to working with an interpreter during a conversation with a deaf person. For example, it's polite to keep eye contact and speak directly with the conversation partner rather than the interpreter. ## Future ASL Integration The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf hopes to show signing on big screens at future Phillies games to improve accessibility. > Our hope is that we show signing on the big screen in the future. ## Deaf Community Call to Action Deaf students encourage the public to learn American Sign Language and interact with the deaf community to build understanding. > Don't be afraid to learn something. We're more than willing to help you guys. We're open and friendly. ## Key takeaway Deaf students performed the national anthem at Citizens Bank Park using American Sign Language to showcase their community and promote awareness during Deaf Awareness Month.