Students Learn Sign Language Motions To Limit COVID Spread During Musical Performances

Some musically inspired youngsters in Virginia had to learn sign language motions in order to spread joy, not germs, during the recent holiday season.

Students from preschool to eighth grade at St. John the Apostle Catholic School in Virginia Beach learned the sign language motions to traditional pre-recorded Christmas carols instead of singing them since that's known to spread droplets into the air.

Music teacher Caroline Waite said her students had been learning about musicals and wanted to do something for Christmas even though they couldn't hold their traditional concert.

"For the kids, for their mental health, their release is through the arts," she told CBS affiliate WTKR. "I think especially when we went into lockdown in March, the one thing that really shone through were the arts."

Waite admitted she is not proficient in American Sign Language but researched to come up with a mix of ASL and interpretive sign language.

"I was blown away," Principal Miriam Cotton said. "It just touched my heart so much - just the reverence of the children as well as the whole idea that they can't sing."

The students also avoided playing instruments since they are sometime shared — or in the case of wind instruments, can project droplets.

Each grade's holiday performance was recorded and later sent to the student's parents.