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When I was born, my mother named me Jessica. But that was only part of my name. To the rest of the world, I was Jessica, the hearing impaired girl. I was born a few weeks early and my diagnosis meant the world would remain silent to my ears. As a baby I began my education at St. Rita School for the Deaf. In their LOFT program I learned to communicate through sign language with both hearing and deaf children. For the next several years I continued to learn at St. Rita School, but when I was about eight years old I told my mother I wanted to try something new. I decided to leave St. Rita School and attend a public school with hearing kids. At the public school I worked hard to make myself fit-in and be a part of the hearing culture there. I think at that time, I was in denial about my hearing impairment. I just wanted to be like everyone else, and because of that I began to deny who I was and what made me unique. I thought the word “hearing impaired” labeled me as a person who would never make a wonderful impression on others, or someone who could not give back to the world. I often degraded myself and let others preach to me how my own barriers would never break. I felt trapped and desperately searched for some kind of light that would bring me hope…a light that would help me see my true self and all that was possible. This light I searched for was found…at a familiar place, actually. It was when I went back to St. Rita School that my true colors were lit from within. I am now a seventeen-year-old senior and I realize that St. Rita proved something very important to me…that my hearing impairment is not an obstacle to success. Teachers at St. Rita recognize my potential. They push me to succeed at things that I once thought were beyond my capability. My English teacher Natalie Marsh is one of those teachers that I am truly thankful for. She has helped me recognize my skills and showed me ways to improve them. She doesn’t accept “no” for an answer and always pushes me to set new learning goals. She emphasizes that the most important thing is not what I know, but what I am still capable of learning. With her help I have improved my literacy skills and speaking ability. I’m doing great in school and so much of that is because of teachers like Natalie. I appreciate what she has done for me. I am not a child anymore, but I still remember being one. I remember those
early feelings of needing a place where people believed in me. For me that
place has always been St. Rita School. With your support it will continue to
be “that” place for so many others. Donate to this Holiday Appeal | ||
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