{"id":230801,"date":"2026-03-17T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T19:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=230801"},"modified":"2026-03-17T11:49:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T21:49:43","slug":"sign-language-students-expand-access-at-uh-manoa-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/17\/sign-language-students-expand-access-at-uh-manoa-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Sign language students expand access at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa games"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Students
ASL<\/abbr> volunteer signers Pumehana Holmes and Sabrina Gill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa athletic events, a new group of volunteers is helping more fans feel part of the crowd.<\/p>\n

\"Students
Growing demand for ASL<\/abbr> courses at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa has led to waitlists<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

American Sign Language<\/a> (ASL<\/abbr>) students, with the guidance of experts from the Deaf and Native Hawaiian communities, are partnering with UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Athletics<\/a> to sign the national anthem, cheerleader chants, and the university\u2019s fight song at games. The effort gives Deaf and hard of hearing spectators a way to experience moments many fans take for granted in a state where demand for ASL<\/abbr> services far outpaces the number of interpreters.<\/p>\n

ASL<\/abbr> volunteer signer Pumehana Holmes, an English<\/a> major who grew up with two Deaf parents, says the goal is simple: making sure Deaf fans feel included.<\/p>\n

“I hope that the Deaf community is able to see themselves and see them being supported and that they\u2019re not invisible in the crowd but are wanted in the crowd,” Holmes said.<\/p>\n

Holmes has been signing since she was very young. Her mother, Christine Holmes, is an ASL<\/abbr> instructor at Kapiʻolani<\/span> Community College<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today, she is among a group of students helping expand access at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa games. It\u2019s the first known partnership of its kind between ASL<\/abbr> students and the athletics department. Students volunteer their time to stand alongside cheerleaders and performers, translating the energy of sporting events into sign language.<\/p>\n

\"Instructor
Tomita conducts an activity with her students<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

State shortage<\/h2>\n

The effort also reflects a broader need across the state. Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> faces a critical shortage of ASL<\/abbr> interpreters. According to the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Department of Health, there are approximately 2,800 ASL<\/abbr> users in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and an estimated 500 visitors each day who rely on interpreting services.<\/p>\n

There are currently about 30 ASL<\/abbr> interpreters across all the Hawaiian Islands. Only 23 are credentialed by the State of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, with a handful of others holding national credentials.<\/p>\n

To help address this gap, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa has already expanded ASL<\/abbr> coursework and is planning to expand interpreter training opportunities for students interested in the field.<\/p>\n

Personal connection<\/h2>\n

\"student<\/p>\n

For fellow student volunteer Sabrina Gill, the experience also helps build awareness among hearing fans.<\/p>\n

“Having student interpreter volunteers and interpreters are really important for building more access into our UH<\/abbr> community, our UH<\/abbr> games, but it\u2019s also important for hearing people who might not know sign language just to have more visibility and awareness of sign language,” Gill said.<\/p>\n

Gill is working toward her master\u2019s degree in communication<\/a>. She first took ASL<\/abbr> as an elective but quickly developed a deep interest, continuing her studies through the advanced 302 level. She says the experience has fueled her passion for making spaces more accessible for everyone.<\/p>\n

That work now includes interpreting one of the university\u2019s most meaningful songs. The students perform a sign language interpretation of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Pono\u02bb\u012b, taught to them by UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa alumna Amber Lehano and \u02bb\u0100nela Lehano. The interpretation is believed to be the first standardized signing of the mele performed at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa games.<\/p>\n

Expanding access<\/h2>\n

Several additional student volunteers are enrolled in ASL<\/abbr> instructor Gisella Tomita\u2019s classes. Tomita, who is one of three Deaf instructors of ASL<\/abbr> at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, says moments like this can make a big difference for spectators who rely on sign language.<\/p>\n

“It gives me access. It\u2019s amazing,” Tomita said through an ASL<\/abbr> interpreter. “You know events, sporting events, there\u2019s a person who is speaking but where\u2019s my ability to get that information? Where\u2019s the ASL<\/abbr>? I don\u2019t really know what\u2019s going on or being said. And these students are motivated. They wanna be up there and it just touches me.”<\/p>\n

Growing demand<\/h2>\n

Interest in ASL<\/abbr> at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa has surged in recent years. Enrollment has grown by 1,400% in six years, from 19 students in Spring 2019 to 265 in Fall 2025. Demand continues to exceed capacity, with long waitlists for courses.<\/p>\n

A 2024 survey also found that 94% of ASL<\/abbr> students are interested in pursuing a bachelor\u2019s degree in ASL<\/abbr>-English interpreting.<\/p>\n

Beginning in Fall 2026, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa will launch a new path for students, a standalone Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics with a Concentration in ASL<\/abbr><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

American Sign Language students at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa will sign the national anthem, cheerleader chants, and the university\u2019s fight song at games. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":230808,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1471,215,1466,9,550],"class_list":["post-230801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-college-of-arts-languages-and-letters","tag-linguistics","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-uh-manoa","tag-manoa-athletics","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t