Island Home Park Welcomes New Addition
By Jamie Schnell
schnellj@knoxfocus.com
The City of Knoxville and Knox Native Homes celebrated the installation of a new American Sign Language feature at the Island Home Park playground. The sign, developed by Language Priority founder Sara Miller (a former teacher at the Tennessee School for the Deaf), and her husband Bryce Miller, helps children and families learn basic ASL vocabulary. This initiative promotes a more inclusive and accessible environment for all park visitors. It is the eighth installation of its kind, with similar signs in Texas, Connecticut, Illinois, Washington and Minnesota. The creators describe themselves as “big advocates for learning sign language and helping people to communicate with each other.”
Jaylynn Stringer, a dedicated advocate for her daughter Amaya and an affiliate broker with Knox Native Real Estate, led this project. Her advocacy sparked change, and the initiative began in May in collaboration with the City of Knoxville. Amaya inspired Jaylynn, motivated by the need for “greater accessibility and language inclusion, particularly for deaf and hard of hearing children.” She identified communication challenges as a key driver, aiming to address language barriers and improve access for all children. Jaylynn expressed a vision to expand these signs to every park in Knoxville, starting with Fountain City.
Karyn Adams of the Knoxville City Council attended the event and shared, “This is my community, and I am so very happy to celebrate in this. For children who have never been exposed to this type of learning or communicating, I am very excited that this can be something that could go in all of our parks. Let’s make it happen.”
Jaylynn Stringer delivered a thank-you speech, while the crowd expressed enthusiasm alongside Amaya. The event was filled with laughter, heartfelt conversations, and moments where children and families interacted with the new sign, eager to learn together. Parents expressed gratitude for the project, sharing stories of how meaningful it was for their children to feel seen and included. Volunteers and organizers exchanged warm embraces, proud of what the community had achieved. Interpreters ensured accessibility for all attendees, and 865Sips provided refreshments. There was a sense of hope and excitement as neighbors connected and envisioned a future where every child could play, learn and communicate freely in every Knoxville park.
To support the expansion and purchase of additional signs for more parks, please visit languagepriority.com.
