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TOGETHER
WITH PRIDE | CURRENT & FUTURE ACTIVITIES
Current
& Future Activities of the Together With Pride Foundation,
Inc.:
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SEPTEMBER, 2003 - FIRST
RECIPIENT OF TOGETHER WITH PRIDE FOUNDATION HEARING AID
BANK |
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Ashley Coleman, from Lake
Worth, Florida, is the 1st recipient of hearing aids given
to her from the Together With Pride Foundation hearing aid
bank. |
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Ashley, a 7th grader who is
13 years old (turning 14 on Halloween!), was very excited
to get her new hearing aids! The foundation is looking
forward to helping many other children received new and
furbished aids. |
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Audiologist Debbie Shadoff
assists Ashley fit her new hearing aids ^ (above);
Lisa Pride congratulates Ashley on being the first
recipient of the Together With Pride Hearing Aid Bank <
(left) |
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The hearing aids were
donated by Starkey Laboratories, Inc. to our Foundation.
Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County, Inc. fitted the
aids for Ashley. Debbie Shadoff was the audiologist from
Deaf Service Center that fitted the aids.
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1. (Post High School)
Educational & Technical Scholarships Program
Scholarship
monies will be rewarded to select high school seniors who
are planning to study at a University, College, or Technical/Vocational
School. This will be an annual Program conducted by the Together
With Pride Foundation, Inc. Students will be selected by the
Foundation based on the criteria that has been established
by the Foundation. Such criteria includes, but is not limited
to: academics, community service, and financial need. For
some scholarship monies the students will be asked to show
proof of their hearing impairment since that money is designated
to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Other scholarship
money is designated for students who are not necessarily deaf
or hard of hearing, but plan on studying to become teachers
of the deaf and hard of hearing.
Currently,
Palm Beach County (Florida) and Montgomery County (Maryland)
are target areas for this scholarship program. The students
must live and attend high schools in one of these two areas.
One
exception will be the student(s) that receives the scholarship
money designated for a graduate of the HeadStart Program.
This student does not have to live in either of the two counties
listed above.
The
Scholarships Program will begin this Spring of 2002. Students
of Palm Beach and Montgomery counties will be notified of
the available scholarships, and they will be asked to meet
a deadline for all the proper paperwork concerning the scholarships.
The Foundation will then review all scholarship applications,
and the Foundation will choose which students shall be awarded
scholarships. May or June 2002 is the target time period when
the Foundation will notify the scholarship winners. Thus,
here forward, the scholarships will be awarded each spring.
The
student(s) awarded the scholarship(s) designated for a HeadStart
Program graduate will be decided upon by the HeadStart Program
itself. The scholarship(s) will be awarded to the student(s)
in the Spring of 2002.
Currently,
the Together With Pride Foundation, Inc. plans on awarding
$6,000 worth of scholarship monies to select students. The
Foundation would like to increase this amount each year, and
will also work towards making these scholarships renewable.
The
break down for the $6,000 scholarship monies includes:
$1,000
= Educational scholarship to a hearing impaired high school
senior (Palm Beach County)
$1,000
= Educational scholarship to a hearing impaired high school
senior (Montgomery County)
$1,000
= Educational scholarship to a HeadStart Program graduate
$1,000
= Educational scholarship to a high school senior who plans
on becoming a teacher for the deaf & hard of hearing (Palm
Beach County)
$1,000
= Educational scholarship to a high school senior who plans
on becoming a teacher for the deaf & hard of hearing (Montgomery
County)
$1,000
= Technical/Vocational scholarship to a high school senior
who is hearing impaired and is planning on attending a Technical/Vocational
School post-high school graduation (Palm Beach or Montgomery
Counties)
The
Together With Pride Foundation, Inc. strongly believes that
in awarding these scholarships to the selected students --
this reflects what the Foundation is all about - aiding hearing
impaired children and their families while also promoting
education. The Foundation believes in helping hearing impaired
children reach their dreams - especially their academic ones.
By also rewarding those students that are not hearing impaired,
but instead plan on becoming teachers of the deaf and hard
of hearing; the Foundation is supporting the growth of good
teachers for hearing impaired children. As a result, the future
may be even brighter for hearing impaired children.
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2. Hearing Aid
Donation Program
The
Together With Pride Foundation, Inc. has been promised new
and refurbished hearing aids from a major hearing aid company.
The Foundation will work with the Palm Beach County and Montgomery
County School Systems in order to determine the most needy
children to receive these aids.
The
aids will be distributed annually at designated time periods.
The
Foundation and the hearing aid company will determine what
types of aids, and also how to coordinate the distribution
of the aids to the selected children so that each child is
fitted properly with their donated aid.
The
Foundation will also consider children outside of the above
two counties if suggested by a Foundation Board Member.
The
Foundation is also considering a "loaner program"
in Palm Beach County. The loaner program would consist of
refurbished hearing aids that would be readily available for
a child in the school system to borrow an aid. If/when a child's
aid breaks, is lost, or is forgotten at home (leaving the
child with no hearing aid for the day in school)…the
child would be given a "loaner aid" to use until
he/she can find, repair, or purchase their own aid. The Foundation
would work in conjunction with Palm Beach County Schools and
their appointed representative and audiologist to make sure
that the loaners are properly distributed and returned.
The
Hearing Aid Donation program is an important element of the
Together With Pride Foundation, Inc. Hearing aids are integral
tools for deaf and hard of hearing students. Quality aids
help these students in the classroom, at home, and with their
social activities. Hearing impaired students rely on their
aids to be their "ears" and to open the door to
the world for them. Without aids - a child can become isolated
from his/her family and friends and the hearing world. A child's
self esteem can suffer. The learning can stop. The Foundation
works to improve a child's self esteem and educational level.
A quality hearing aid is the 1st step. The Foundation wants
to be there to help a child have the opportunity with this
1st step.
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3. GOALS Program
The Together With Pride Foundation, Inc. plans on initiating
a program that will promote the idea of "goal setting"
to hearing impaired children. This program would include a
one-day workshop in a classroom setting where a designated
mentor would speak to the children about the importance of
setting goals. From there, the teachers, parents, and students
would be responsible for continuing the program in school
and at home. A workbook would be designed to help keep the
students on the path of setting goals with their teachers
and parents aiding them.
The
program would consist of introducing the students to the concept
of setting goals. Students would learn how to make a list
of goals; what the process would be in trying to reach these
goals; and then the final step would be to make these goals
a reality.
The
Foundation will be working with school representatives in
designing the program for the appropriate grade level. This
program relies on the cooperation of the schools and its teachers.
The
GOALS Program would begin in the 2003 or 2004 school year.
It would be an annual program that has incredible growth possibilities.
The plans are to initiate the program with one grade level
in mind, and then to expand to additional grade levels from
there. It is also a program has potential to spread from two
(Palm Beach County & Montgomery County) school systems…
to many schools in the U.S.A.
The
Foundation promotes the idea of setting goals in order to
build a child's self esteem. Each step closer to reaching
a goal increases a child's self worth. Not ever goal can be
achieved, but that is also an important lesson for children
to learn. Hearing impaired children often suffer from low
self esteem, so a program like the GOALS Program will be designed
to raise a hearing impaired child's confidence. Having a hearing
loss doesn't make a child any less important; thus, the Foundation
intends to make sure that children realize this and believe
it.
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4.
Baseball / Life Skills Clinics
The Foundation intends to conduct Baseball / Life Skills clinics
to hearing impaired, school-aged children in South Florida
and the D.C. / Maryland Metro Areas.
The
clinics would begin in 2003. The Foundation would hold one
clinic in each Metro area in the Fall/Winter of each year
after 2003 with the hopes of expanding the clinics to each
Major League Baseball city across the country.
The clinics would be conducted by the Foundation in cooperation
with celebrity baseball players and coaches.
Children
attending the one-day clinics would be taught baseball skills
and life skills - such as goal-setting and the importance
of education. The children would be treated with some of their
favorite ballplayers helping them with baseball skills while
also hearing from these superstars on how to set goals and
how to reach their goals - whether it be the Major Leagues
or in school. Special awards and certificates will be given
out based on effort and skill. Refreshments will be served.
Children may also receive photos and autographs from their
baseball heroes.
Once
expanded to all Major League Baseball cities, the children
will have the opportunity to play baseball on a real Major
League Field during the clinic.
The
Foundation is involved in this project because it helps hearing
impaired children have fun with a game they enjoy (baseball)
while also helping them learn valuable life lessons such as
setting goals. The children will be able to learn from their
heroes. This can only lead to an enjoyable experience that
will help increase a child's self esteem. Personalized instruction,
awards, smiles, autographs, and playing baseball - a life-long
memory and maybe a turning point in a child's life.
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5.
REWARDS Program
The Foundation is planning on starting different REWARDS Programs
that would include rewarding school-aged hearing impaired
children in the South Florida and D.C./Maryland Metro areas
who have perfect attendance; made the Honor Roll; and / or
meet other school-related goals.
Such
programs would be conducted in conjunction with the above
county's school systems. The Foundation and the schools would
decide which grade and/or students would be eligible to participate
in this program. Students would then be notified of the program,
and what the requirements would be from them throughout the
school year in order for them to qualify for a "Reward"
from the Foundation.
The
"Reward" could consist of a ticket to a Major League
Baseball game; refreshments at the game; and meeting a Major
League Baseball player.
The
Foundation and the schools will work together on all logistics
for the Rewards Game.
The
Foundation may involve the Major League Baseball clubs help
in donating tickets, refreshments, and a ballplayer's time.
This
program could begin as early as the Spring of 2002. The program
may also include Spring Training games for South Florida students
in the Spring of 2003. The Foundation hopes to make the REWARDS
Program an annual event.
The
purpose of this program is to reward students who best exemplify
the Foundation's mission statement of education and goal setting.
The students being rewarded through this program have realized
the importance of education by attending school every day.
These students have also set the goal of either attending
school every day or making the honor roll which has in turn
enabled the students to achieve their goals -- thus they are
rewarded by attending a Major League Baseball game.
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6.
Literacy Program
The Together With Pride Foundation, Inc. would like to start
a literacy program with the Palm Beach County School System.
The literacy level of hearing impaired children is comparably
low to other hearing children at the same grade level. No
specific plan has been initiated as of yet, but the Foundation
recognizes the importance of education and plans on working
with the schools in order to increase the reading level of
hearing impaired children.
Such
suggestions that have been made thus far: an after school
tutor session and a volunteer program where a volunteer goes
to the child's home and reads to the child or has the child
read to the volunteer.
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7.
Fishing / Self Esteem Clinics
These clinics are similar to the Baseball Clinics with the
stress being on hearing impaired children having fun learning
to fish while also increasing their self esteem as they catch
a fish or bait a hook for the 1st time.
Celebrity
fishermen will aid in helping the children learn to fish.
All equipment and refreshments will be donated along with
the trophies for the biggest catch and other "prizes".
It
will be a one-day event held in the Fall / Winter months beginning
in the year 2003 or 2004.
Events
will take place in South Florida at a location yet to be designated.
The
purpose of this event is to help hearing impaired children
learn a skill that they may not have - catching a fish - while
also helping them with their self esteem. Fishing is a sport
where it helps to be "quiet". Deaf or hard of hearing
children have the advantage here. They don't have to worry
about missing out on conversations or "listening"
for their catches. Fishing is about "feeling" and
seeing. The purpose also is for the children to have fun and
to go away from this event feeling good about themselves.
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8.
Mentor Program
A mentor can make all the difference in a child's life. It's
especially important for a hearing impaired child to see someone
like them (who can't hear) living a successful adult life.
Many hearing impaired children live in families where they
are the only ones with the hearing loss. These children are
never exposed to an adult who is deaf or has a hearing impairment,
and thus the children have no deaf adult role models.
The
Foundation intends to start a Mentor Program in South Florida
and then expand to the D.C. /Maryland Metro area.
Working
with the schools in these areas - the Foundation will decide
on which age group to target for this Mentor Program. The
Foundation is now considering high school juniors and seniors.
The
intent is for the Foundation to match-up a child with a deaf
adult in the community who would be a good role model for
the child. The child would list their job interests and then
the Foundation would match the child with an adult in that
specific/similar career. The child would 'shadow" the
adult mentor for one day at work. The mentor would participate
in this program as a volunteer thus incurring any costs such
as transportation and lunch for the child.
The
Mentor Program would also include having adult volunteers
who are deaf or hard of hearing come into the classroom to
speak to the students. The volunteer would answer any questions
that the students may have about the mentor's career and/or
challenges that he/she faces as a deaf adult in the business
world.
The
purpose of this program is to allow the students to see 1st
hand adults with hearing impairments succeed in the "real
world". The children will be able to ask questions directly
to a person that is doing a job that the students are interested
in for their future. It's one on one real life exposure that
is hard to emulate in a text book or in the classroom.
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9.
Foundation Website
The Foundation will be starting a website in 2002 in order
for more people to learn about the Foundation's mission and
activities. The internet allows people to connect like no
other medium today. Through a website, the Foundation will
be able to help an even greater amount of hearing impaired
children and their families.
The
Foundation's website will be paid for in part by donations
and by the Foundation itself.
The
website will update all new Foundation activities and events.
The website will also eventually be a resource for accepting
charitable donations from all over the world.
Links
from the Foundation's website to other websites helpful to
those with a hearing loss will also be provided.
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