ARCHIVED: 2007 | 2006| 2005 | 2004
April 2008
Deaf Author Speaks to Parents
"When my parents found out I was deaf," author Josh Swiller told JTC parents at their Tuesday night class, "my mother said she knew it all along, even though the doctors said things like, 'He's just a little slow,' and 'He's at that age when he doesn't want to listen to you.' My father, on the other hand, felt like it was his fault and it took him a long time to get over it."
Josh, who visited JTC last fall on a whirlwind tour to promote his book, The Unheard, was invited back as guest speaker for parent class. The parents were riveted by his intensely personal and frequently hilarious account of growing up in both the deaf and hearing cultures.
"It's important to laugh about your situation sometimes," said Josh. "We're here to work with what we have. Deafness is going to create frustration, but it can also create wonderful things. In fact, it's a kind of blessing because it focuses your life and enables you to experience true silence, if you choose. And when it comes to college, it's a goldmine for scholarships."
Born to hearing parents, Josh had progressive deafness and was not diagnosed until he was four years old. He now wears a cochlear implant, which, he says, has greatly improved his speech. "I learned spoken language with my eyes," he recalled, "mostly through reading and regular speech therapy." He is also an expert lip reader and is fluent in American Sign Language.
Asked what further advice he had for the parents, he said: "Deaf children aren't made of glass, so don't tip toe around them, don't baby them. Having a house full of brothers, I didn't get treated like a poor little thing. They slugged me in the arm just like anyone else, harder in fact. I didn't get a pass on anything."
The Unheard is both the story of Josh's childhood and of his two, extraordinary years as the first deaf Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia.
April 2008
Alumna Named Miss Missouri International
JTC alumna Jayna Altman has won the title of Miss Missouri International 2008. She will travel to Chicago in July and represent Missouri as she competes for the title
of Miss International ® 2008. The Miss International ® Pageant is a production of International Pageants, Inc.
Jayna was born two months premature and spent the first three months of her life on a respirator. Medications that saved her life at the time also caused her to lose most of her hearing, and at age 2 1/2, she was diagnosed with severe to profound, bi-lateral hearing loss. Her parents enrolled in Demonstration Home at the Clinic’s Long Beach Center, where Jayna developed exceptional speech and language skills. Starting with kindergarten, she was completely mainstreamed in public school.
Jayna Altman graduated with honors and distinction in Communications from the University of California, San Diego. She also completed a study abroad program in Literature and European History at Oxford University in Oxford, England. Additionally, Jayna has completed coursework towards a doctorate in Audiology from CID/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
As a toddler, Jayna was the "Poster Child" for Orange County Guild's Celebrity Golf Tournaments, and since that time has offered her services to the Clinic as an alumni spokesperson and a regular participant in the youth panels for the Parent Education Program.
Jayna is no stranger to the world of pageantry. She was chosen as Miss Orange County 2004, and Miss Tri-Counties 2006 for the Miss America Organization. She also represented as Miss Tri-Counties USA 2007 for the Miss USA Organization.
Despite her hearing loss, Jayna Altman has never allowed obstacles to stand in her way. She is determined to succeed in life and wants to help young children with hearing loss achieve their dreams.
February 2008
Dr. Barbara F. Hecht Named Woman of Distinction
Barbara F. Hecht, Ph.D., president of John Tracy Clinic, was saluted, along with 80 “creative, astute women,” at the University of Southern California’s annual Women of Distinction awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 13, 2008. The Women of Distinction awards, chaired by Monica Lozano, publisher and CEO, La Opinion, and Joan Payden, President and CEO, Payden and Rygel Investment Management, celebrate the “commitment, optimism, and leadership” of professional women in Los Angeles.
February 2008
JTC Featured on Angels Walk
L.A.
 Directly across the street from the Clinic on Adams Boulevard, a stanchion dedicated to John Tracy Clinic and its rich, star-studded legacy has just been installed by Angels Walk L.A. The stanchion is part of a self-guided historic trail for a type of business and tourism promotion sometimes referred to as “Urban Exploration.” Angels Walk is a non-profit community promotional organization that works in partnership with Figueroa Corridor, the LA Neighborhood Council and others. Angels Walk Figueroa is about three miles long and is divided into three sections, Metro Figueroa, West Adams and USC/Exposition Park. The stanchions feature buildings that are officially recognized by the city, state or federal government for their architectural, cultural and historic importance. More information is available at www.angelswalkla.org.
|
