On Monday, April 29th, I Noah Armstong had the unique opportunity to conduct an interview without words. Mr. Brynjar Leifsson, Smithtown High School East’s American Sign Language Teacher, discussed with me his drive, passion, and hope for ASL.

Mr. Leifsson, who himself is Deaf, has been my teacher since 2022 and taught me and my class how to communicate through signing.

Connecting with friends, family, and your community with shared communication is something that Sign Language can create for everyone despite language or hearing barriers.

As a child, Leifsson learned ASL in a class at his middle school. Inspired by his teacher’s way of expressing himself through ASL, he aimed to create a way for his students to have enjoyable experiences and hoped to encourage a warm and welcoming environment.

Leifsson said that his main goal with students for the future is the ability to communicate and interact with the Deaf community when at a job through customers, clients, or the general public. This can be one of the most important skills even for everyday interactions and being able to meet the needs and accommodate everyone.

He relayed that the most important thing for his students to learn or take away from learning ASL is communication and, “Being able to communicate and understand better how Deaf people struggle in everyday public situations.” 

Leifsson is a selfless, helpful, and funny person who enjoys traveling and learning ways to live in this world. He loves to travel overseas and has been to many different places including  Mexico, Europe, Asia, The Caribbean, and Scandinavia.