In the summer of 2015, I was hired as the designer and photographer for OYO, a Deaf kids camp at Camp Nuhop in Perrysville, OH. My task was to create a unique shirt design for campers and faculty. Inspired by a conversation with my mother about kid-friendly word search games, I developed an innovative concept: a word search design featuring ASL (American Sign Language) alphabet instead of traditional words. This turned the shirt into an interactive learning tool, allowing campers to practice fingerspelling while having fun. The three trees in the design represented the camp’s natural surroundings and its three years as OYO Camp. Campers received white shirts to personalize, while staff wore turquoise ones. The design was a hit, sparking engagement, creativity, and a deeper connection to ASL — transforming a simple camp shirt into a meaningful experience.
