SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield High School teacher has been awarded the Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission Individual Award from the State of Ohio.
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Mr. Arlon Nash will receive the award Wednesday at a ceremony in Columbus for “championing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of inclusivity,” the state said.
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Nash teaches American Sign Language and has over 20 years of experience. He has also won multiple awards, including Teacher of the Year award from the National American Sign Language Teachers Association three times, and was the first black, deaf person to do so, the state says.
Nash was nominated by his fellow teacher, Ms. Patricia Blair.
“Arlon demonstrates daily the importance of diversity, equality and inclusion,” Blair said. “He believes that all of these are necessary to build a community that is not about our skin color or disability. As a teacher, he witnesses students develop and grow using ASL and encourages them to take it out of the classroom and apply it to the real world, connecting the hearing community with Deaf culture through outreach and performance opportunities. He hopes that teaching students how ASL can benefit both Deaf and hearing will show the importance of understanding the culture and the need for mutual respect.”
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