HEARING UR WAY
The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss
SAM VERCOMING BSTACLES
SPREAD LIGHT: WINTER 2024
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
Dear Sophie: Serenity
12 Sophie’s Spotlight
Featuring: Milo
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Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Melanie Patico Grossman, M.S.D.E. Magazine Design Peggy Nehmen, N-Kcreative.com And special thanks to readers like you!
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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.
Full Circle
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.
The holidays are a wonderful time to come together and spread light back into the world. A er 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
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!) a end—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.
These days, we sometimes assume that all children with hearing loss were identified through newborn hearing screenings. However, that isn’t always the case.
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 ge ing his cochlear implant.
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 HearingOurWay 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
INSPIRATI N STATI N
Abigail Heringer
“Writing this book was more than just writing words on a page. It was about healing, acceptance, and turning what was once a struggle, into a source of empowerment.”
Abigail Heringer, the rst contestant with a cochlear implant on ABC’s The Bachelor, inspires us once again with the debut of her rst book, The Deaf Girl Written through both Abigail’s perspective as well as her mother’s story of raising two daughters with hearing loss, The Deaf Girl makes a great holiday gift for teens, adults, parents, and teachers.
BOOKS WE L VE: EVA’S BOOKSHELF
Things We Love Things We Love
TECH WE L VE
Apple’s new AirPods Pro 2 will include a hearing aid capability designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Users will be able to adjust settings on-the-go to boost frequencies and reduce background noise. This could be a way for adults with mild hearing loss or who struggle in noise to bridge the gap before needing hearing aids.
We love that Apple is bringing awareness to hearing loss and hearing protection, and that people both with and without hearing loss now commonly wear devices in their ears! Still, it’s important that kids with hearing loss see their audiologist for proper testing and device tting. While kids with hearing aids and cochlear implants might not use AirPods, they have something even better: Bluetooth technology right to their devices!
From our very own Hearing Our Way magazine comes The BIG Book of Hearing Our Way! The book revisits some of the featured kids from the past and updates us on where they are now. It also includes the inspiring story behind why Melanie Patico Grossman, creator of Hearing Our Way, started the magazine.
Eva is a 16-year-old girl from New Jersey who has always loved reading. She has with others who have hearing loss, and a place for kids, as well as our parents and teachers, to gain hearing loss in her lets her hearing loss hold her back. bookshelf.
The book encapsulates what Hearing Our Way is to all of us: a place to read about and connect with others who have hearing loss, and a place for kids, as well as our parents and teachers, to gain a sense of community.
I rst found out about Hearing Our Way from my teacher of the deaf when I was 8-years-old, and since then, I have been able to learn about others like me, read (and review!) amazing books that teach us to advocate for ourselves, and know that kids with hearing loss like me can achieve anything.
SIBLING SP T
MEET SIBLINGS
from South Park, Pennsylvania who never let hearing loss get in the way of fun!
Adalyn, 10, has moderate sensorineural hearing loss and wears bilateral hearing aids. Her little brother Easton, 7, has profound hearing loss in his left ear, where he uses a cochlear implant, and moderate-severe hearing loss in his right ear, where he wears a hearing aid. Together they love drawing, making up plays, watching movies, and playing with their three dogs!
Adalyn: I have a really good relationship with my brother. I help him when he doesn’t hear something, and we play together all the time. We both like playing soccer; I even won a gold medal one year! At school I work with my teacher of the deaf, Mrs. Gray, use my assistive device, the Roger microphone, and study my favorite subject, art.
mind.’ When I need inspiration, I remember the story of Jessica Watson, who sailed around the world by herself for 210 days. She inspires me to never give up and to work hard to solve problems.
Easton: My family is always there for me, especially when I misplace my cochlear implant! One time we went to a cabin, and Addie noticed that I didn’t hear her and realized my cochlear implant was missing! Our parents searched and searched, but we think it must have fallen into the pond nearby. Another time I hid my cochlear implant in the yard when I was playing. Our parents spent the night searching with ashlights until it was found!
One Last Word: When Addie grows up, she wants to be a vet or a lawyer, and Easton would like to be a cop. They love reading stories in Hearing Our Way about other kids with hearing loss like them and are excited to share their own story!
Light Up a Room
Easton: My big sister Addie helps me in many ways. She teaches me about hearing loss, helps me when I meet new people, and plays soccer with me, too. I like that we are the same with our hearing loss; it makes me happy.
Language can be tricky, especially idioms, which are groups of words or expressions that mean something different than what they say.
Adalyn: Some things that bother me about my hearing aids are when people ask, ‘what’s in your ear?’ I also don’t like it when I ask people to say something again, and they say, ‘never-
You might hear the idiom light up a room and think it’s about a bright, shiny Christmas tree, but no! Light up a room is a compliment for someone who might be outgoing, with a great smile, and great energy, who is able to cheer up a group of people just by showing up!
Like this: “I can’t wait to see my cousin over the holidays. She is so much fun to have around and always lights up a room!”
Hearing loss is part of the whole family.
Share your story with us: info@hearingourway.com
VERCOMING BSTACLES
INSPIRING STORIES OF KIDS AND TEENS LIKE YOU
SAM’S FAVES
TV
Formula One (F1)
Racing
9-1-1
Station 19
MOVIES
The House FOODS
Steak Tacos Spaghetti
SPORTS
F1 Racing
Football
Baseball
PLACES
Disney World
Alaska
Bahamas
DREAM DESTINATION
Europe to watch a live Formula One race
BOOKS
Unstoppable: The Ultimate Biography of Max Verstappen
H W DOES SAM HEAR?
With his football helmet on, his sports duffel in hand, and two cochlear implants!
ALL ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Sam! I am 14-years-old, and I live in Hillsdale, New Jersey. I enjoy playing all sports, but my very favorite is football. I love to hang out with my friends, go to summer camp, and travel with my mom.
HEARING MY WAY
My hearing loss was late-identi ed when I was 3-years-old, and I did not receive my bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) until I was almost 4. I needed help to catch up on listening and language, so I moved from my hometown in New Jersey out to St. Louis, Missouri, to attend the Moog Center for Deaf Education. I spent ve years in St. Louis, working really hard on my spoken language and reading skills, before moving back home to be mainstreamed in third grade. By that time, we realized I wasn’t hearing well on my left side. I went through re-implantation surgery to see if something was wrong with the internal device, but unfortunately it did not work, so it may be something wrong with my left auditory nerve. I am still glad I am bilateral, because my left side helps me localize sound.
Sam as a li le boy at the Moog Center.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
When I went to school in St. Louis, I was away from my family in New Jersey. That was hard. My mom came out on weekends, and I saw my grandmother and cousins only for holidays. Even though I was happy when I graduated and came back home, it was also a hard transition, because I missed my St. Louis friends and teachers. In New Jersey, I didn’t have any friends with hearing loss. I felt shy at rst and struggled to make friends. Ironically, it was only when I had re-implantation surgery and had to stay inside for recess, that each day a di erent classmate would keep me company. I started to feel more comfortable with the kids, and my sense of humor came out. That was when we really got to know each other and become friends, and luckily, I’m still friends with many of those kids today!
SELF-ADVOCACY STAR
Because of my hearing loss, it can be hard to keep up with the conversations around me, so I get extra help in school. I use AVA Scribe for closed captioning, and I use a Roger Touch DM system in every class. I am in charge of setting up my technology and giving my Roger mic to my teachers. If people ask about my cochlear implants, I keep it pretty simple and tell them, “They help me hear.” I have not attended an IEP meeting yet, but I will for my high school transition. At times my mom and I have had to advocate for more support from my school district or prove that I am in the best educational setting for me. No matter what challenges are thrown at me, I have the tools and motivation to push through!
HEARING GEAR
My mom found a swim necklace on Etsy that has worked really well for me. It secures my cochlear implants to a necklace I wear, and it allows me to wear my CIs at camp in the lake for boating and swimming activities.
MOOG MEMORIES
I have friends from my time in St. Louis that I have stayed in touch with, and I love going back to visit. At rst, I still went back for audiology appointments at Moog, but we couldn’t continue traveling so far for programming. Finding a new audiologist is challenging, but there are a lot of amazing doctors in the New York area, too. Luckily, Moog continues to provide consulting services for me, so I can succeed in the mainstream.
Sam’s biggest supporter is his mom.
SPORTS & SIMCHAS
Sports are a real passion of mine, and it’s hard to pick a favorite! I like to try new things; I even asked my mom if I could try football, and though she was hesitant, it’s been going really well! Last year, I had my bar mitzvah, a special celebration of a 13-year-old becoming an “adult” in the Jewish religion. It was a really big milestone for my family and a day to celebrate all the obstacles I’ve overcome over the years, with the people who have loved and supported me. For my mitzvah project (a way to give back in honor of my bar mitzvah), I chose to create a guide for kids with hearing loss like me who want to play all di erent sports but don’t know how to manage their hearing gear. Learn more about my mitzvah project, and my tips for young athletes with hearing loss, on the next page!
ROLE MODEL
My mom is my role model because she has fought for me to get help with my cochlear implants. She is always there for me—supporting me and cheering me on. We make an awesome team!
MY BEST ADVICE
Hearing loss is a part of my identity; I don’t hide my cochlear implants. I’m the only student with cochlear implants in my school, but I’m the same as everyone else—I can do the same things. Don’t turn your hearing loss into an excuse to put in less e ort or not to try hard. Your hearing loss won’t stop you from doing anything you want to do!
#GOALS
When I grow up, I want to be a mechanical engineer. My hearing loss will not a ect that goal. My mom tells me that because I have always had to work hard for everything in my life, I’ll be successful in anything I want to do. We like to say I’m unstoppable!
“Just go for it!” -Max Verstappen
Want to be on our next cover? Email your story to info@hearingourway.com
Sam’s Mitzvah Project: Sports & Hearing Gear
A bar/bat mitzvah is a special milestone for Jewish 13-year-olds, marking their entrance to adulthood. Sam, 14, recently celebrated his bar mitzvah, and shares more about his experience.
Hi, Sam here! I was really proud to become a bar mitzvah last year. It was a huge accomplishment, but the journey wasn’t always easy. I had to learn how to lead a service, recite Hebrew, make a speech, plan a big celebration, and give back to my community through a mitzvah project.
and
end of summer, to allow me more time to prepare
accommodations really helped me
It all began with Hebrew school ve years before my bar mitzvah. Even though it was an after-school activity, I used the self-advocacy skills I learned at school to ask for accommodations I needed, like preferential seating and my Phonak Roger DM system. Hearing loss made it more challenging for me to learn Hebrew, pronounce di erent sounds, and chant prayers, but we were able to nd ways to make it work, like by reciting the words rather than trying to follow a tune. At the beginning of each year, my teacher of the deaf came to Hebrew school to help teachers learn about my hearing loss and technology. We strategically scheduled my bar mitzvah date for end of summer, to allow me more time to prepare when school wasn’t in session. This reduced my stress and let me squeeze in extra Hebrew tutoring sessions. I also worked with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) to improve my pronunciations for my bar mitzvah speech. These accommodations really helped me succeed on the big day.
Hebrew tutoring sessions. I also worked
One of the most fun parts of planning a bar mitzvah is choosing a theme, like a favorite sport, movie, or location. But my theme was a bit unusual; I chose the theme: UNSTOPPABLE! I think it was the perfect theme for me, because it re ects how I have lived my life: taking every CAN’T and turning it into a CAN.
bar mitzvah is choosing a theme, like a
Finally, I had to choose a mitzvah project, or service project, that was close to my heart. I thought of kids with hearing loss like me who might think they can’t play certain sports, such as football or swimming, because of their hearing devices. I wanted to show them they can play any sport, and hearing loss won’t stop them. I decided to create a guide to show kids how to adapt sports gear to work with their hearing technology. Check it out! “ “May your future be filled with laughter, joy, and happiness. May you always be surrounded by loving friends and family as you are tonight. And, may you never lose another cochlear implant in the ocean!”
“Sam’s ability to perform a full bar mitzvah service was a huge accomplishment and a testa- ment to years of hard work and determination. While it was something I dreamed he would be able to experience, originally I was not sure if it would be possible. Sam is my inspiration and my hero, and I am so thankful to be his mom.”
Tips & Tricks for Young Athletes with Hearing Loss
Sam created a Powerpoint presentation which includes lists of gear he recommends for each sport, along with video demonstrations of him gearing up and securing his hearing devices.
For most sports, other than swimming, I use:
▪ Corded sweat protectors clipped onto my clothing
▪ A headband or skullcap to keep my devices in place
▪ A helmet that is loose enough to t over my devices, snug enough to protect me, but not so tight that it would press against my cochlear implant magnets
For game time, I:
▪ Let the referee know (or have my coaches inform the ref) that I have hearing loss
▪ Ask my teammates to repeat plays or give hand signals
▪ Choose a position closest to the coaches, when possible
▪ Use two Roger Select DMs for my coaches to wear
► I like Phonak Roger devices because they reconnect automatically when they come back in range.
► I use a Ziploc® or aqua bag to protect Phonak devices if I’m playing outside in heavy rain, because they are not waterproof.
SPECIAL NOTES FOR CERTAIN SPORTS:
FOOTBALL
▪ I clip my retention cords to my second layer of clothing so they’re not accidentally pulled from my jersey.
▪ After putting on my helmet, I tuck the retention cords into the pads so they aren’t loose and in danger of being tugged.
BASEBALL
▪ When I’m up at bat, I like to have my coaches stand at 1st and 3rd bases wearing the DM mics.
▪ If I’m playing out eld, I ask in eld players to relay messages from coaches.
▪ When tracking batting count, I ask the umpire, get a signal from a coach, or check the scoreboard.
BASKETBALL
▪ I recommend a shorter retention cord so it doesn’t accidentally get pulled.
▪ I found that in club or travel basketball, there was a lot of speci c communication and plays, and it was very strict about making mistakes. Instead, I play recreational (rec) basketball, because in rec, everything is fun, and less plays are needed.
SOCCER
▪ I am often the goalkeeper in soccer, so I’ve learned to tighten and position my headband very securely before the game, because once the thick goalie gloves are on, it’s nearly impossible to use my hands to adjust anything.
SWIMMING
▪ I use the Cochlear aqua kit, which includes waterproof sleeves for my processors and aquacoil cables with magnets.
▪ I prefer to wear a swim necklace with a clip rather than the included aqua clip, because it doesn’t require a shirt, it stays secure, and it looks cool!
▪ I wear goggles with a wide band over my devices, and sometimes a swim cap, too, for another layer of security.
▪ I am not able to use my DM system when swimming.
▪ Some helpful hints that can save you thousands of dollars:
► Don’t wear your devices in the ocean.
► If you do go in the ocean, use an older/backup set of devices, in case they break or get lost in the ocean (like mine did!).
► Hold onto your devices when you go down a slide or jump into the water, or remove them completely for certain activities.
► Don’t wear your devices in the ocean!
Did I mention that one already?
For Sam’s full presentation including demonstration videos and links to gear, please visit HearingOurWay.com/Resources.
FUN & GAMES
DEAR S PHIE
What does Simba say to celebrate Hanukkah with Timon and Pumbaa?
®
What do cows say when the ball drops?
Happy Moo Year!
Which dinosaur is best at wrapping gi s?
Hi, I’m Serenity! I am a third grader from Riverside, California, and I love gymnastics, Legos, and volleyball. My mom is a healthcare worker and ASL interpreter, and my dad is a college professor. My grandparents on my mom’s side are deaf.
I wear hearing aids and use assistive devices at school, but a few years ago, I was just starting school, and I wasn’t hearing very well. Everything was virtual, and that was a big challenge, especially because my teachers didn’t know me yet and weren’t familiar with my hearing loss needs. Now, things are going much be er. I use my remote microphone technology whether in class or on the playground.
Love, Serenity
I am a big sports fan, and I love baseball—especially the Dodgers. My great-great grandmother (who lived to be 100!) was a Dodgers fan all her life, so I get it from her. Wearing hearing aids while playing sports can be challenging—and on top of that, I wear glasses, too—but I never let it stop me. Whether I’m at gymnastics, volleyball, home, or school, I wear my hearing aids proudly!
Dear Sophie,
Thank you for sharing my caring, loving, goofy, smart, and sweet Serenity’s story!
Love, Sheena Serenity’s mom
A veloci-wrap-tor!
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.
What did the weatherman say to his wife when he looked up at the sky on Christmas Eve?
Looks like rein, deer!
What are your goals for 2025?
Share your New Year resolutions below!
Love, Theresa Copple Serenity’s itinerant teacher of the deaf
NY 11740
TIME VALUE • Address Service Requested
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S PHIE'S SPOTLIGHT
Milo is a 7-year-old from Danbury, Connecticut, who is soaring to new heights since receiving his cochlear implant. He was born prematurely which resulted in many medical challenges. It wasn’t until his device was activated that he suddenly heard sounds he hadn’t heard before, and his access to speech and language thrived.
Milo loves to travel with his family. Recently, they visited Disney World, and Milo got to try the Cochlear Aqua Kit for the rst time. He was able to hear while playing in the pool and felt so excited not to be limited by his hearing loss. He also loves using the cochlear implant’s Bluetooth technology to listen to videos.
Milo’s mom, Erin, considers herself
‘Super Milo’s biggest fan.’
“My son is an amazing 7-year-old who is now doing great in school thanks to his new access to sounds with his cochlear implant. We love his school, his teacher of the deaf, and the NYU Cochlear Implant Center!”
Hia Abdelqader, an Education Specialist at NYU, says: “Milo is the cutest, funniest child! He truly is thriving with his cochlear implant, as well as with the help of his wonderful mother, who is a dedicated advocate and supporter of his journey.” magazine.
Sophie loves shining a spotlight on amazing kids with hearing loss around the world. To shine a spotlight on someone you know, write to us at info@hearingourway.com.
