Eight deaf or hard-of-hearing students at Cabrillo School in Ventura became ghost hunters, athletes and hula dancers Wednesday as they acted out their dream jobs in front of parents and teachers.

As part of the play, "Visual Vision," each of the eight students said in sign language what they would like to be when they grow up, acted out a short scene with the other students, then explained their career choice with Karen Walker interpreting. Four other students served as narrator, stage manager and stage crew in the play they all helped write.

Miguel Flores, 13, said he wanted to be an artist and used a palette and paint brush to simulate flicking the other students, adorned with colorful scarves, onto an imaginary canvas. "I love art because it's like a rainbow of colors with a pot of gold at the end," Miguel said.

Jesus Navarete, 14, said he wanted to be a ghost hunter like in his favorite Sci Fi Channel show, "Ghost Hunters," because he wanted to "help lost souls go back to their resting place and find peace."

The play and a luncheon Wednesday for parents to mingle with students and teachers were funded through a $5,000 grant awarded in December by SAGE Publications to Tri-County GLAD, a nonprofit group that serves deaf or hard of hearing people, Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness Regional Director Julianna Fjeld said through sign interpreter Jasmine Casey.

"We publish books for educators and principals, so we wanted to support our local schools because educators are very important to our company," said Michael Dubowe, a senior graphic designer for SAGE Publications' Corwin Press who like Fjeld is deaf. "This is a wonderful opportunity for deaf children to develop their skills in theater, public speaking and performance."

Heather Hewer, a teacher in Cabrillo School's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, was in tears as she described how students have progressed in terms of self-esteem and their ability to get along with others.

"I'm getting choked up. The kids have been doing an awesome job, and just seeing them progressing — I'm real proud of them," Hewer said Wednesday.

Mike and Dawnya Hager, whose daughter, Aubrey, 11, played a hula dancer and had the whole audience shaking and spinning during the performance, said Hewer deserves credit for helping the children to "come out of their shells."

"Ms. Hewer is the best thing that ever happened to these kids," Mike Hager said.

Hewer said Fjeld, who won an Emmy for co-executive producing the 1985 Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie "Love Is Never Silent," wrote the grant proposal after the students were inspired by a performance by the Extreme Magicians from the California School for the Deaf in Riverside.

The magicians "made such an impression on our students and inspired them to perform. Hopefully we can influence other schools," Hewer said.

The Cabrillo students will perform for other deaf or hard of hearing students Friday at Loma Vista School in Ventura and Wednesday at Simi School in Simi Valley, Fjeld said.

On the Net:

http://www.tcglad.org