Kindergartners learn how to sing 'Happy Birthday' in sign language to surprise school custodian

The kids at Hickerson Elementary School love their custodian, James Anthony, and to celebrate his 60th birthday, they gave him the gift of song.

Anthony is deaf, and reads lips. Kindergarten teachers Amy Hershman and Allyssa Hartsfield decided to teach their students how to sign "Happy Birthday" as a surprise for his birthday. On Tuesday, Anthony entered a classroom, and was moved to tears when he realized what the kindergartners were signing.

He was "overwhelmed" and "touched," Hickerson Elementary School secretary Bonnie Scott told McClatchy. Anthony has worked in the Tennessee school district for more than 20 years, and has been at Hickerson for 15 years. He is an excellent role model for the students, principal Jimmy Anderson told Fox 17 News, as he "teaches the kids sign language every now and then, teaches them good manners and how to treat other people." Catherine Garcia

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.