Outstanding Alumna
Teresa A. Cherry-Cruz, M.S. ’86, 6th Yr. ’07 * School of Health and Human Services
I
t takes a village to raise a child — and
university to earn a sixth year diploma in
T.O.T.A.L. program, Robinson cited several
it certainly helps if there’s an experi-
educational leadership in 2007.
new efforts spearheaded by Cherry-Cruz
enced, highly dedicated educator
And lead she does. In September
and her colleagues — a non-graded
leading the way. Consider Teresa A.
2010, Tommie L. Robinson, Jr., the presi-
approach to literacy instruction for young
Cherry-Cruz, M.S. ’86, 6th Yr. ’07, the
dent of the American Speech-Language-
students and a bilingual language labora-
founder and director of the T.O.T.A.L.
Hearing Association, spotlighted Cherry-
tory that rotates among several of the dis-
(Teaching Others to Achieve Literacy) pro-
Cruz in his column to members. The topic?
trict’s schools. A village, indeed.
gram, a literacy-enrichment summer camp.
Leadership. In addition to highlighting the
By Villia Struyk
Each year, T.O.T.A.L. serves children and adolescents from Bridgeport, Conn., who were found to be at risk in the areas of language and reading. A true partnership effort, the initiative draws on the talents of numerous members of the community, including graduate interns from Southern’s Communication Disorders Program, speech-language pathologists, educators, and community and church organizations. T.O.T.A.L. is seen as a model of excellence. In 2004, Cherry-Cruz received the prestigious Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Recent Clinical Achievement from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which represents over 140,000 constituents. Serving Bridgeport’s children is a year-round mission for Cherry-Cruz, who also is the director of speech, language, and hearing services for Bridgeport Public Schools. Previously, she worked with the Connecticut State Department of Development Services, Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S) Therapeutic Preschool, and the Stamford Public School System. A firm believer in the importance of education, she earned degrees from Temple University and Fairfield University, as well as two degrees from Southern. In 1987, she earned a M.S. in communication disorders from Southern, allowing her to become a certified licensed speech-language pathologist. She returned to the Winter 2011 | 21
