HEARING
UR W WAY AY
The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss
VERCOMINEGS BSTACL
SAM
SPREAD LIGHT: WINTER 2024
Winter 2024 / Volume 11, No. 4
4 Things We Love
Eva’s Bookshelf: Eva Inspiration Station: Abigail Heringer Sibling Spot: Adalyn and Easton
6 Overcoming Obstacles Featuring: Sam
8 Special Features Sam’s Mitzvah Project
10 Fun & Games
Dear Sophie: Serenity
12 Sophie’s Spotlight Featuring: Milo
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HI FR M MEL! Season of Light The last year was challenging for many people. It was hard to see, at times, so much hate and darkness in the world, when most of us just want peace.
The holidays are a wonderful time to come together and spread light back into the world. After all, whether you string lights on a Christmas tree, display seven candles for Kwanzaa, light diyas on Diwali, send lanterns in the sky, or light the menorah on Hanukkah, we all share celebrations of love and light in common. Here’s to a much brighter year ahead in 2025.
Mel Paticoff Grossman, M.S.D.E. Editor in Chief
Reproduction or distribution in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All comments and suggestions received by Hearing Our Way become the sole property of Hearing Our Way and may be used without compensation or acknowledgment. Hearing Our Way disclaims liability for any losses or damages that may result from using information in this magazine.
It reminded me of my own mitzvah project: at age 12, I already had a passion for deaf education, and I wanted to help support kids at a school for the deaf.
In fact, it was the same school for the deaf that Sam would one day (about 10 years later!) attend—what a full circle moment!
Things Mel Loves One thing I found interesting in this issue was that quite a few of our featured kids shared stories of being late-diagnosed with hearing loss.
Sam, Overcoming Obstacles, didn’t receive his cochlear implant until age 4; Serenity, Dear Sophie, was struggling before receiving her hearing aids; and Milo, Sophie’s Spotlight, has discovered a world of sound since getting his cochlear implant.
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Sam, featured in Overcoming Obstacles and our special sports presentation, is the kind of kid who just lights up a room. I loved seeing his pride and joy at his bar mitzvah, a Jewish milestone celebration, and the way he chose to give back to other kids with hearing loss for his service project.
These days, we sometimes assume that all children with hearing loss were identified through newborn hearing screenings. However, that isn’t always the case.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief Melanie Paticoff Grossman, M.S.D.E. Magazine Design Peggy Nehmen, N-Kcreative.com And special thanks to readers like you!
Hearing Our Way PO Box 13 Greenlawn, NY 11740 USA
Full Circle
Fur-ever Loved I am sad to share the news that we said goodbye to Sophie, my beloved maltipoo, this year. She lived a wonderful life of nearly 16 years and, though she did not have hearing loss, her sweet and spunky personality inspired the Sophie character with a cochlear implant that we all know and love. It is so comforting to know that Sophie’s legacy will live on through Hearing Our Way and Sophie’s Tales. Every issue of Hearing Our Way includes listening, language, and self-advocacy strategies. Just look for the symbols! Listening strategies and hearing technology Speech, language, and communication Self-advocacy skill building
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HEARING OUR WAY
Cover photo: Rick Helman Photography
SOPHIE
You Are Strong! Set your mind to it, and you can achieve anything.
Ultratec.com
DEAR S PHIE
FUN &S GAME What does Simba say to ® celebrate Hanukkah with Timon and Pumbaa?
from Riverside, California, eyball. My mom is and I love gymnastics, Legos, and voll eter, and my dad a healthcare worker and ASL interpr nts on my mom’s side are deaf. is a college professor. My grandpare rs ago, ve devices at school, but a few yea I wear hearing aids and use assisti was hing n’t hearing very well. Everyt I was just starting school, and I was n’t especially because my teachers did virtual, and that was a big challenge, gs are h my hearing loss needs. Now, thin know me yet and weren’t familiar wit s clas in r the whe microphone technology going much better. I use my remote or on the playground. er (who lived to Dodgers. My great-great grandmoth the lly ecia esp ll— eba bas love I rts can be I am a big sports fan, and ring hearing aids while playing spo Wea . her from it get I so , life , her be 100!) was a Dodgers fan all it stop me. Whether I’m at gymnastics let er nev I but — too , ses glas r wea challenging—and on top of that, I my hearing aids proudly! r wea I ool, sch volleyball, home, or
Hi, I’m Serenity! I am a third grader
Love, Serenity
Dear Sophie,
What do cows say when the ball drops? Happy Moo Year!
aring my Thank you for sh ofy, smart, caring, loving, go nity’s story! and sweet Sere
Love, Sheena
Serenity’s mom
Dear Sophie, What I love most about Serenity is the way she sees the world. She sees beautiful details that others miss, like stopping to observe a caterpillar climbing a flower stem, when others just see a field of grass. Before Serenity got her hearing aids, she frequently misunderstood things that were said, and, in turn, people misunderstood her. They thought maybe she just wasn’t listening, but I knew that really she was missing important information that she couldn’t hear. Now, Serenity is hearing well, laughing with her friends, and letting her positive attitude shine. Love, Theresa Copple Serenity’s itinerant teacher of the deaf
Which dinosaur is best at wrapping gifts? A veloci-wrap-tor!
What did the weatherman say to his wife when he looked up at the sky on Christmas Eve? Looks like rein, deer!
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HEARING OUR WAY
r 2025? What are your goals fo Share your New Year resolutions below !
“Congrats on 10 years— how exciting! To be a part of it is such an honor.” —Abigail Heringer, ABC’s The Bachelor fan-favorite first contestant with a cochlear implant and author of The Deaf Girl
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