Author: CAH&V (page 5)

by Nancy Grosz Sager

California Department of Education (retired Spring 2018)

This is actually a no-brainer to me. We all know that the # 1 predictor of whether or not ANY child does well academically, socially, and vocationally is PARENT INVOLVEMENT. For a child who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, strong parent involvement is even more important. And yet, young parents who have just learned that their beautiful little baby is Deaf or Hard of Hearing are uncertain about what to do, how to do it, and what is in store for them.

by Brittany Comegna

Admissions Counselor at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology

I did everything that I now tell students to NOT do.

I was a senior in high school at California School for the Deaf in Fremont. I was encouraged by teachers and school staff to attend a certain university after having submitted my application. I concurrently applied to California State University at Northridge (CSUN) where my older Deaf brother was attending. I had my heart set on a career in the film industry and believed CSUN could offer a lot in this area. I graduated from CSUN in December of 2010.

By Rosabel O. Agbayani, MPH

“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” -Mother Theresa

Sometimes we think that in order to make change we have to make a lot of noise. What I have learned from my experience of raising my children, and especially raising my deaf child, is that you have to be able to drown out the noise and listen to your heart.

We found out my son was deaf in September 2010. I’m not sure why I was so shocked because after almost 6 months of testing we finally had an answer. But I still remember that feeling when I heard the words “Your son has a hearing loss.”

by Michelle Hu Lapid

Pediatric Audiologist & Bilateral Cochlear Implant Recipient

If you told my mother 30 years ago that her daughter would graduate high school and college with honors, she actually might have had some doubts. This is because, thirty years ago, when the doctors confirmed my hearing loss, they also told her that I would likely not go beyond a 3rd grade reading level.