At Paws With A Cause (PAWS), communication is everything. It connects people to dogs, clients to trainers, and communities to our mission. And thanks to a group of American Sign Language (ASL) students from Forest Hills Central High School, we’re learning to connect in even more meaningful ways.
Each month, these students trade the classroom for the kennels, bringing their language skills and enthusiasm to PAWS. What started as a simple idea has grown into a partnership rooted in service, accessibility, and a shared belief that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and signed to.
Helping Hands and Learning Moments
The students start their visits with hands-on volunteer work, cleaning kennels, prepping enrichment activities, and assisting with daily tasks around the facility. But it’s after the chores are done that the real learning begins.
Gathered with PAWS staff and volunteers, the students lead short ASL lessons designed to help our team better communicate with clients who are deaf or hard of hearing. They teach everyday signs like “hello,” “thank you,” and “good dog” with patience, positivity, and a sense of purpose.
“Even if some of our clients have interpreters, knowing the basics helps us provide a more welcoming environment,” said Becky Canale, PAWS Director of Client Services & Assistance Dog Training. “It’s another way we can show respect and connection.”
Training the Dogs, Too
The students’ impact doesn’t stop with people. By using sign language around the dogs, they help introduce important cues like “sit” and “stay” in a way that prepares our hearing dogs for future partners who use ASL. It’s subtle training, done with intention, and it makes a big difference for both ends of the leash.
How It All Started
The idea came from Ms. Anderson, the high school’s ASL teacher. After teaching her class about PAWS’ history, including our very first dogs placed with people who are deaf, she asked a simple question: how can we use what we’re learning to help others?
Her students answered by showing up.
“I tell my students all the time that our knowledge of ASL is meant to connect people,” Anderson said. “By helping out at PAWS each month, we feel like we’re bridging that gap—even in the smallest of ways.”
Smiles, Signs, and Something Bigger
For the PAWS team, this collaboration has been energizing. For the students, it’s a hands-on way to make a real-world difference. And for our clients? It means a more inclusive, more compassionate future.
“I have yet to meet one person who regrets learning ASL,” Anderson said. “And the staff and volunteers at PAWS are no exception. There’s a strong willingness here to do more.”
At PAWS, we know that big change often starts with small gestures. A word signed. A task done with care. A young person deciding to show up, again and again.
Want to support the work we’re doing together?
Click here to donate or learn how to get involved with PAWS.
