FORT WORTH, Texas — The questions came quickly. So did the excitement.
For two young Deaf children, a day at the Fort Worth Zoo became something more: a chance to ask questions, discover the animals and join the conversation — all in their native language.
Energy filled the zoo Sept. 19 when Tarrant County College students, faculty and staff provided sign language interpretation for Deaf Day, opening zookeeper chats, giraffe feedings and other experiences to Deaf and Hard of Hearing visitors.
TCC’s 18 students and 11 faculty and staff members joined nine community volunteers in serving approximately 150 Deaf community members. The Texas Education Agency outreach office provided information to parents of Deaf children.
“This is our fourth annual Deaf Day at the Fort Worth Zoo. Attendance seems to increase every year,” said Maureen Denner, director of TCC’s Sign Language Interpreting program. “The day provides access for the Deaf community to enjoy the zoo just like everyone else. It gives Deaf people and their families opportunities to talk at home about what they learned, what they discussed and which animals were their favorites, just as hearing families do.”
Fort Worth Zoo marketing director Avery Elander said the zoo is determined to be accessible and enjoyed by all. “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with TCC for this annual event. It has become a special tradition for our community.”
For Natalie Trevino, a TCC interpreting student intern with Deaf family members, the event is especially meaningful because of the communication access the zoo provides.
Interpreting student Efrain Plasencia valued speaking with Deaf evaluators and community members. He said their feedback helped him become a better interpreter.
For students like Trevino and Plasencia, the event represents far more than an extracurricular outing. It directly feeds into the 432 internship and field hours required to complete TCC’s Associate of Applied Science in sign language interpretation and qualify for Texas Board for Evaluation of Interpreters credentialing.
Program director Denner said, “Deaf Day at the Fort Worth Zoo allows interpreting interns to serve in a variety of settings, introducing them to vocabulary they might not otherwise encounter.”
Experiences like Deaf Day also help prepare TCC students for careers serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in schools, healthcare settings, community organizations, and with regional employers and service providers like the Deaf Action Center and Sorenson VRS.
Denner talked with the two Deaf children. “They were so excited to be able to ask questions, learn about zoo animals and interact with so many people in their native language.”
Learn more about TCC’s sign language interpretation program.
Tarrant County College serves nearly 100,000 students each year, offering accessible, affordable pathways to in-demand careers and university transfer. Across multiple campuses and TCC Connect — a fully online learning option — the College partners with more than 1,200 employers to help build the workforce that drives North Texas forward. Bold Steps. Better Futures.