Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
March 21 - April 3, 2015
27
Local second grader wins ‘I Can Do It’ award BY CURT BLAKENEY
Reagan Arbelbide is a typical 7-yearold elementary school student. She loves swimming, tennis, traveling, spending time with her family, “I spy” and, of course, playing with her school friends. Reagan also enjoys listening to Pandora, something that seemed impossible when she was born with a rare genetic mutation called Otoferlin (OTOF) that left her completely deaf in both ears. Now a second grader at Haley Elementary School in Chandler, Reagan can hear due to the miracles of modern science. When she was 9 months old, Reagan became the youngest child in Arizona, and one of the youngest in the country, to receive cochlear implants, electronic devices that are surgically implanted in a patient’s inner ear to feel the sensation of sound. Her journey and champion’s spirit were celebrated on Feb. 20, when Reagan was bestowed the “I Can Do It” award from the Arizona Council for Exceptional Children during ceremonies at the Black Canyon Conference Center in Phoenix. Reagan’s teachers at Haley describe her as a spunky, motivated and kind child who tackles the challenges of hearing loss with grace and optimism. Reagan is an excellent student, earning all A’s and B’s in her studies. She cares for her homework and grades, as well as the medical equipment that has become part of her daily routine.
Stephanie Johnson, her second-grade teacher, speaks into a special transmitter worn around her neck that allows Reagan to hear the day’s lessons. Reagan is also tasked with the care of this transmitter, giving it to her teacher at the beginning of the day, carrying it from classroom to classroom, handing it to other teachers, and placing it in a charger each afternoon. Even as she faces the constant challenges associated with the cochlear implants, such as regular mapping procedures—where the implant’s settings are changed and consequently force her to adjust to new sound levels and speech signals—Reagan is unwavering and always stays positive. “Even with having to acclimate to the new sounds, Reagan never complains,” wrote Fitzgerald in her nomination letter. “She smiles and asks her teacher, ‘Could you say that again please?’ She embodies resilience and an ability to do her very best in all learning and social situations.” In school, Reagan seamlessly mingles with classmates, even telling knock-knock jokes and adventure stories. “She’s her own best advocate in the classroom,” says her father, Roger Arbelbide. “Every school year, we send in a video explaining her implants. I don’t think we’ll have to anymore. She loves to explain her ‘ears’ and show her scars. Other kids gravitate to her. She is exceptionally kind, always hugging and encouraging her classmates.”
Although the surgeries, tests and other procedures could have taken their toll on young Reagan, she has displayed a positive attitude from the very beginning. Her parents recall her sprightly personality and fighter’s spirit even at a young age. “When she woke up after her first surgery (at 9 months old), with her head wrapped in bandages and her face bruised and swollen, she pulled herself up in her crib and smiled,” her father recalls. A home video on YouTube captures the moment of Reagan’s first sounds— terrifying for the toddler but a momentous victory for her parents. Until that moment, she had never heard the familiar sounds that most folks take for granted: birds chirping, dogs barking and mom’s singing. Despite enduring so many challenges, Reagan is for the most part a normal youngster—though many would call her “exceptional.” “She loves animals, tennis, dancing, drawing, running around barefoot, dressing up and listening to music constantly,” her mother proudly states. Reagan is a courageous advocate for herself and others with hearing disorders. She is never afraid to explain to curious peers why she needs help with hearing. For a recent class project, Reagan stated that if she were president, she would make sure that every child, adult and stray animal had shelter and food.
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Haley Elementary School second grader Reagan Arbelbide won the “I Can Do It” Award for showing courage and a positive attitude overcoming her hearing disabilities. Submitted photo
Of course she also said she would give everyone pink houses and change her title to “Spectacular Princess.” And if that doesn’t work out, she wants to be a veterinarian or a firefighter. As her nomination letter stated, “The ‘I Can Do It’ Award was created for a student like Reagan.” Curt Blakeney is an associate editor of the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at curt@santansun.com.
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