ILAA Awards Scholarships to College-Bound Students with Hearing Impairment
The ILAA Post-Secondary Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce this year’s award recipients. Initially, a single first prize $1000 scholarship and a second prize of an assistive listening device package were approved by the Board. After reviewing the 15 complete applications received, the Committee was so impressed by the caliber of applicants that we approached the Board to request a second $1000 scholarship, which was approved.
Kevin Cook, recipient of a $1000 scholarship, attended Carmel Catholic High School and is now starting his college career at Eastern Illinois University where he is majoring in business management. In his application, Kevin stated “I believe I have what it takes to run a successful business, and it is something I have always dreamt about.” He also plans to continue involvement in sports after his very successful high school sports career playing both soccer and football. Most notably, during his senior year he was captain of the soccer team and among many honors he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. Kevin has also served his community as a Habitat for Humanity Volunteer. About his hearing loss, Kevin comments, “my hearing loss has built a drive inside of me. It now gives me confidence instead of taking it away from me. I know that I can do anything that I put my mind to and that’s been the truth thus far in my life.” Among many glowing reports in his letters of recommendations, his hearing itinerant teacher, Jodi Salata from SEDOL, commented that Kevin “has grown tremendously in the area of self-advocacy among teachers and peers” and that he “goes above and beyond what is expected of him.”
Rebecca Rizzo, recipient of a $1000 scholarship, attends Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin where she is pursuing a major in English and a minor in Secondary Education. She plans to teach English in middle school or high school after completing graduation. In her application, she commented, “I love reading, writing about and analyzing literature. I feel I could best make a difference in the world by teaching.” Rebecca has been serving her community through participation in Colleges Against Cancer, Circle K, Century Magazine, and the College Activities Board. In commenting about her hearing loss, she says “I am always up front and honest about my hearing. I tell people I am hard of hearing, but I can hear well with my hearing aids and by reading lips; I ask them to please not block their mouths. I also say that I may ask them to repeat something if I miss it. I do this because I genuinely want to know what is going on.” Donna Ryterske, a counselor for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in the Kane County area, recommended Rebecca for this award saying, “I often teased Rebecca that I wish I could ‘clone’ her so I could have her meet and speak to my many other Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who struggle to accept their hearing impairment. For Rebecca, her hearing impairment was always a part of who she was and she was never ashamed of her hearing loss.”
Kaley Ann Graves, recipient of the assistive listening device package, graduated from Monticello High School and is now attending Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL where she plans to study sports medicine because she would like to “be able to help people stay healthy, recover from injury, and compete at their full potential no matter what they have to overcome.” Kaley reports that she was diagnosed with congenital severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss each ear at the age of two years. Since then she reports that hearing aids, FM systems, and lip reading have been the key to her high level of success in and out of the classroom. Among her accomplishments, Kaley lists her 15th place finish in the 2001 National Spelling Bee in Washington DC. She also reports enjoying sports and worked to overcome the challenge of hearing her coaches’ instructions by utilizing an FM system for indoor sports and by using visual information and relayed information from teammates for outdoor sports. In her application, she commented, “I’m sure there will continue to be new challenges when I start college, but I am a stubborn, determined person who doesn’t think in terms of not being able to do something because I’m hearing impaired.” Michelle Lewis, MA, a school audiologist who has worked with Kaley since she was 3 years old, reports that Kaley is a “role model for other students, both those with normal hearing and a hearing loss: and commented that “Kaley and her family have helped me to realize the potential expectations we all can have.”
The Post Secondary Scholarship Committee wishes these students and the other very impressive applicants the very best as they embark on their college careers. We are very confident that they will all make significant contributions to their communities in everything they do.
Thank you to all of the Post Secondary Scholarship Committee members for their hard work. Choosing award winners was very difficult for the Committee because all of the applicants were so accomplished and deserving. The judges were: Judy Elkayam, Au.D.; Barbara Murphy, M.A.; Kristine Erickson, Au.D., Clare Dolter, M.A. (Chair); and Karyn Voels-Malesevic, Au.D. Additionally, thanks to Marci Evans, M.A.; Pamela Fiebig; M.A., Dana Helmink, M.A.; Joseph Smaldino, Ph.D. who helped in formation of this program and development of application materials. Thank you also to the many ILAA members who helped this program by telling their colleagues, patients and students about this scholarship opportunity.
A Special Thank You to OakTree Products
OakTree Products kindly donated several ALD’s to our 3rd place Post-Secondary Scholarship winner, Kaley Graves. Kaley had requested several devices that she felt would be helpful to her college career, and OakTree provided all of them! Please think of OakTree Products when you order supplies and ALD’s for your office as a way to thank them for supporting the goals of your ILAA.
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