Sunday, February 1, 2015 1F
2015 SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENTS Staff photo/Joe Shearer
a special supplement of The Daily Nonpareil
Lozano demonstrates character, persistence Mike Brownlee mbrownlee@nonpareilonline.com
Above, teachers at Kanesville Alternative Learning Center said students Tristan Wheeldon, left, and Anna Lozano, right, have had a positive impact in the school.
Wheeldon always there to help, listen Mike Brownlee
mbrownlee@nonpareilonline.com
Tristan Wheeldon helps when needed. The 18-year-old Kanesville Alternative Learning Center student is known around the school to help when called upon, whether it’s taking out the recycling, helping teachers carry in cases of water or more. “He does not have to be asked a second time,” teacher Kay Durfey said. “He jumps to help and does a great job.” Wheeldon said he appreciates the work the teachers and staff at Kanesville do. “I feel they shouldn’t have to do everything,” the senior said. “Teachers do so much to help students, we should return the favor.” Wheeldon spent part of his junior year at Kanesville and has been at the school full-time this year. He said he enjoys the “hex” class schedule – three six-week classes at a time, meaning each trimester features two hexes. “There’s more time in the classroom for help from teachers if you need it,” he said. His favorite subject is P.E. with Dick Wettengel, which is held off campus at the Council Bluffs YMCA. Outside school, in his free time Wheeldon likes to
play video games on his X-Box. His current favorites are Grand Theft Auto Five and Destiny. Wheeldon works in the dietary department at Bethany Lutheran Home, serving food to the residents. Along with serving the meal of the day and cleanup, he engages with the residents, playing cards and enjoying conversation. “I know everyone by name,” Wheeldon said. “I get to hear stories about when they were younger,” he continued, a smile on his face. “I just listen. Listening brings a smile to their face. Some don’t have family, so we (the staff) are someone to talk to.” That listening extends back to school. Durfey commended Wheeldon as a, “very positive young man with a caring attitude for others.” “Whether Tristan is talking with other students, faculty or the general public, he genuinely listens and takes an intereste in what others have to say,” she said. “And he is always willing to offer an encouraging word.”
Anna Lozano stays busy. The Kanesville Alternative Learning Center senior works hard, earning good grades while staying engaged in classroom activities. She’s a part of the Tuesday’s Together program, with students working with youngsters at Franklin Elementary on craft and other projects. Lozano just started working as a bagger at Hy-Vee and is also deeply invested in helping with her family. “I stay organized to make sure everything I need to do gets done,” the 17-year-old said. “And I always have the support of my family.” Tuesday’s Together often includes doing crafts with fourth- and fifth-graders at Franklin. “It’s something fun with the kids. I enjoy spending time with them,” Lozano said. “When I was in elementary I was never part of anything like that.” The program is sponsored by teacher Kay Durfey, with Lozano helping organize the activities for the after school service project. “Her patience and organization is amazing,” teacher Jolene Edmonds said. Lozano said she loves seeing what the elementary students create. “It’s cool to see what the kids come up with,” Lozano said. “We go in with a plan of what we’ll do, but sometimes it veers off. It’s interesting to see what they come up with.” At Kanesville, where Lozano is in her second year, the student said she enjoys her economics class with teacher Linda Huber. The course has helped the student learn about saving and a number of strategies for being smart with money. Overall, in school and outside school, Lozano “has demonstrated character, ambition and persistence,” Edmonds said. “In the classroom, Anna consistently earns high marks, contributes thoughtfully and engages in productive activity.” After high school, Lozano plans to attend Iowa Western Community College – she’s already been accepted – and pursue a career in network administration in the information technology field. In her free time Lozano is a voracious reader.
The Daily Nonpareil
Staff photo/Joe Shearer
2F Sunday, February 1, 2015
St. Albert High School junior Kaitlyn Pearce balances her time between athletics and academics.
Pearce a model student-athlete at St. Albert Scott Stewart
sstewart@nonpareilonline.com
Kaitlyn Pearce started at St. Albert Catholic Schools in kindergarten. Now a high-school junior, Pearce is the model of a student the school hopes to produce: an athlete, an honors student, a leader, an artist and a hard worker. “I’ve grown up in the system,” she said. “I like walking down the hallways knowing every person that I see.” Pearce plays a variety of sports – including varsity basketball, track and volleyball – and is the second team all-district goalkeeper for the school’s soccer team. She qualified for the state long jump her freshman and sophomore years, taking 12th in Iowa. As a leader, she’s also in student council and a member of National Honor Society. She is in honors English and advanced
math, although she’s avoided Advance Placement classes so far because she does so much else. “Being so involved takes up a lot of time,” she said. “It gets so difficult with sports and everything.” But Pearce perseveres, and she finds time for other activities, such
as being one of the photo editors for the yearbook and writing feature stories for The Accipiter student newspaper. Her involvement is partly connected to the school’s size. “At St. Albert, I have 60 kids in my grade, and it’s always been
around that number,” she said. “Since I was in third grade, our grade hasn’t change a whole lot. We’ve had people leave and we’ve had people come, but the core group is still the same.” The faith community also builds connections for her. Her family converted to Catholicism after becoming part of St. Albert, and Pearce said she’s been learning religion though the school since kindergarten. Despite the close-knit group, Pearce said her friends have shifted over her time at the school – a phenomena that happens to everyone. She said friends will change, so you shouldn’t seek to change yourself to keep them. “You just have to be whoever you are,” she said. “You don’t have to change yourself for other people.” Asked to describe who she is, she responded: “I’d say I’m outgoing, definitely. I love to talk to
people. I try to be positive and I think I do a fairly good job most of the time.” She’s “definitely athletic,” too, although she doesn’t see herself as a “huge standout.” Instead, being part of the team and doing her part is what is important to her, she sad. Tarra Wiederin, a science teacher at St. Albert and leadership coordinator, gave her own summary of Pearce: “She’s smart, independent, reliable.” “She’s always been one of the students that I can rely on,” she said. “She’ll get it done. I don’t have to micromanage her.” Wiederin said Pearce was involved with science bowl in junior high, and the teacher expects her to attend college. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not something in the science field,” she said. “She really had a spark in eighth grade with me, especially when it came to chemistry topics.”
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Sunday, February 1, 2015
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St. Albert High School sophomore Elijah Finn is an avid volunteer, dedicated to giving back to the school and the Catholic church.
St. Albert’s Finn focuses on helping school, parish Scott Stewart
sstewart@nonpareilonline.com
Elijah Finn is an odd choice for Spotlight on Students because he spends much of his time working behind the scenes. An avid volunteer, the highly active sophomore has dedicated himself to giving back to two institutions – school and church – that have made such a profound impact on him. He’s also an athlete, wrestling for two years, and he has a year of baseball, football and cross country under his belt at St. Albert High School as well. Beyond athletics, he has been on the science bowl team two years, as well as in junior high. But it’s giving back that he reaches for when asked to describe himself. “I do a lot of community service work around the school,” Finn said. An active member of St. Peter’s Parish, he volunteers a lot for parish members, he said. Volunteerism
is fostered at the Catholic school, and many of both his school and parish connections are involved in service. “It is a nice community to have,” he said. “It’s a great way to be able to stand out to help in your school and help in your parish.” This summer, Finn said he
helped custodians at the school move new lunch tables into the cafeteria. He also helped assemble desks during the all-school service day during homecoming week. At his parish, he helps with normal activities such as soup suppers. He is also involved with confirmation class, which connects
him to involvement with the parish council and other activities. He also helps the clergy when possible. “It is just a blessing to be able to do both and to be able to see people involved in both their parish and their school community,” he said of his dual volunteerism. Finn’s family has been connected to St. Albert for his whole life. His mom attended the school, as did his four older siblings. He enrolled as a preschool student, and his grandfather was a football coach who helped found the school. One aspect of St. Albert that makes it special, he said, is the faith of students, even those who are not Catholic like him. “There is community of the kids who aren’t involved in a parish who still want to be a part of the faith and a part of the school and stand for what we stand for,” he said. “ The kids who aren’t Catholic who still want to be a part of the community – St. Albert is pretty special.”
The school also provides opportunity for leadership, he said. It helps to know everyone, and he said he takes charge through communicating effectively. “The best part of being a leader is being able to listen as well,” Finn said. “When we have such a tight community, it allows us all to step up and be leaders sometimes.” Austin Thies, a social studies teacher at St. Albert and assistant wrestling coach, said Finn is a hard-worker both academically and athletically. “He is able to establish good relationships with the people around the room, whether that’s a good rapport with teachers or working well with classmates,” Thies said. “He is continually working to get better. By working hard, he also pushes his teammates to work hard.” Finn is a kind person, Thies said, and he shows grit and determination to do his best no matter what he faces.
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Murphy shines in class, VB court Tim Johnson
tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com
“I just believe if you do your best at something, the product is going to make it worthwhile.” Kaitlyn Murphy, a senior at Abraham Lincoln High School, should know. She is a high academic achiever and active in her school. She has chalked up a GPA of 4.26, ranking fifth in her class of 295 students, according to Sarah Steinmetz, her Talented and Gifted strategist since she was a freshman. She has achieved this level of excellence by taking advanced placement and concurrent enrollment classes, earning college credit while in high school. She will have almost two years of college credit by the time she graduates. “In these classes, which require a considerable amount of work and rigor, Kaitlyn has done exceptionally well,” Steinmetz said.
Staff photo/Joe Shearer
Abraham Lincoln High School senior Kaitlyn Murphy was named an Outstanding Young Omaha Teen as a freshman and has been active in National Honor Society, among other activities. She volunteers at the Henry Doorly Zoo and took the zoo to an elementary school so students could do some hands-on learning
for science class. She completed a Google Science Fair project where she charted the behavior of crocodiles at the zoo. During her junior
year, she raised enough money to adopt a lynx from the World Wildlife Fund. Kaitlyn plays on the varsity volleyball team for A.L. and served as a mentor to special education students one trimester last year. Kaitlyn received high praise from Steinmetz. “She is a phenomenal student but, more than that, she is an out-
standing young women who works well with others, loves learning and getting involved in projects and activities that give back,” she said. Kaitlyn was named a Ten Outstanding Young Omaha Teen as a freshman and has been active in National Honor Society. She plans to major in biology at Grinnell College and pursue a career in zoology.
Pomernackas a ‘great student,’ ‘great leader’ Tim Johnson
tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com
Staff photo/Joe Shearer
Abraham Lincoln High School senior Nick Pomernackas will will have almost two years
of college credit when he graduates from A.L. this spring.
“He is energized by being involved and is a great team leader and team player,” Talented and Gifted strategist Sarah Steinmetz said of Nick Pomernackas. The Abraham Lincoln High School senior has been in the Talented and Gifted program all four years in high school and has taken advanced math and English classes through concurrent enrollment opportunities. He will have almost two years of college credit when he graduates from A.L. this spring. Nick has served on the student council all four years at A.L. Besides meeting and deciding on school issues, the group does a lot of community service projects. “We try and get out once a month and volunteer with elementary schools – stuff like that,” he said. The group has done volunteer work for
Habitat for Humanity, Kids Against Hunger and other organizations, and members have done odd jobs for local residents, such as shoveling snow, raking leaves, reading to elementary students and adopting families. The council also tries to help students work through difficult situations, like the loss of a student, Nick said. In addition, he helped with a Muscular Dystrophy Association gala. “One of my friends has it, and he asked me to help,” he said. Nick has demonstrated his ability as a team leader on the basketball court, where he is serving as team captain this year. Pomernackas started playing basketball when he was 4 or 5, he said. “I have played select basketball since I was in fifth grade,” he said. “Then I played on my school teams through Kirn and A.L. all years of high school.” Nick joined Creating Healthy Active
Teens to host a health fair at A.L. The event included exercises and seminars on nutrition and other topics. He joined the Leadership of Southwest Iowa program in eighth grade. Members, who come from a variety of area schools, go to a training camp and meet a couple times a year to exchange ideas and talk about what they are doing in their schools. Nick also participates in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has volunteered with Little Lynx, a youth organization, and the Autism Foundation. “Nick enjoys participating in meaningful learning opportunities and is very professional, organized and focused,” Steinmetz said. “He is a great student but, more than that, he is an outstanding young man who works well with others (and) loves learning and getting involved in projects and activities.” Nick plans to major in biochemistry and pre-med at the University of Iowa.
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Sunday, February 1, 2015
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Warner sees music in his future MIKE BELL MBELL@NONPAREILONLINE.COM
For Eldon Warner, excelling at school and other activities is like scratching an ever-present itch. Warner, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, keeps such a busy schedule that he usually snags about five hours of sleep a night during the week, he said. “Weekends I get to sleep in sometimes, which is nice,” he said with a laugh. Warner is involved with cross country, track, plays cello for the orchestra, both concert and show choir. These are just a few of his routine activities. “I guess it’s kind of an obsession,” he said. “I was always taught to give my all, to do my best.” He is also the current National Honor Society vice-president and choir president. All of this while placing in the Top 10 percent academically at his
Staff photo/Mike Bell
Eldon Warner, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, is involved in a wide variety of clubs and activities while being in the Top 10 percent of his class. school and working at Hy-Vee. Outside of school, he also has volunteered as a group leader for
Special Olympics activities once every year, which he said was fun. “I volunteer to show them
around, it’s a great experience,” he said. Warner plans to attend the University of Iowa, but he’s split between pursuing studies in music or athletics, he said. Music is his dream, however. He has played the cello since he was 9 years old. He’s been singing since taking private lessons with his grandmother at the age of four.
Warner said the coaching staff at the school, including Travis Walker and James Giles, are responsible for furthering his drive. Following the Golden Rule as his motto, Warner said he simply tries to treat others as he would like to be treated. “You’re never going to earn the respect of people if you’re not on their level,” he said. “Never settle for mediocrity.”
Ross wishes to pursue psychology MIKE BELL
MBELL@NONPAREILONLINE.COM
Staff photo/Mike Bell
Abigail Ross, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, has achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.9 while being involved in dance, basketball and other activities. She wants to study psychology after graduation.
Abigail Ross gains motivation by inspiring others. A senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, Ross is currently enrolled in two advanced placement courses. “I’m in AP Literature right now, and I’m trying to enjoy it,” she said with a laugh. Despite her modesty, Ross holds a 3.9 grade-pointaverage while participating for the last four years in cross country, basketball, track, show choir and more. Plus dance, cheer and student council. She has been named junior class president, captain of the dance team and basketball MVP. “I enjoy being in these programs,” she said. “Through it, I push myself and others to try harder.” Ross said when she motivates friends to excel, it inspires her in return. Currently, Ross is part of mock trail and Louder Than A Bomb, a slam-poetry group. “This is my first year doing slam poetry,” she said. “It’s surprised me how much passion I didn’t know I
Thanks,
had when I began writing down my thoughts. It’s very motivating.” Ross is interested in psychology, with a passion for finding out not only what people are thinking and feeling, but why. She hopes to attend Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. She is a member of the Pottawattamie Youth Council, a group of 25 students chosen annually to assign grants throughout the area. The grants total $38,000. Ross said the council helped her learn effective communication skills. She is also part of the school’s College Access program, which helps students whose parents did not graduate college. Students in the program are required to give back to the community through various service projects among other activities. “I like helping others, treating them how they should be treated,” she said. The teachers and coaches at Thomas Jefferson are source for motivation, she said. “The teachers here, I’m so thankful to have them,” she said. “The opportunities they have given made me the person I am today.”
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8F Sunday, February 1, 2015
The Daily Nonpareil
Teachers say Austin Simmons’ biggest contribution to Lewis Central’s athletic program is the support and guidance he offers other student-athletes.
Simmons a ‘consummate team player’ for L.C. athletes Scott Stewart
sstewart@nonpareilonline.com
Austin Simmons is a wellrespected student at Lewis Central High School. His Twitter account isn’t too different from many high-schoolers, except for the occasional tweet like this one from Nov. 3: “I’ve had fun wearing the blue and white the past few years, it has truly been an unbelievable experience. Simmons was the quarterback for Lewis Central, and a yearround athlete playing baseball, basketball and track as well. He had the starring role on the gridiron since the end of his sophomore year. Among his many memories playing football, he said he recalled playing Johnston on Oct. 17. With only a few minutes left, Simmons said it looked like the game had gotten away from them.
“We were down a couple touchdowns in the fourth quarter,” he said. “We just kind of struggled for most of the game. They were a really good team.” But then Lewis Central exploded for 17 points in the final
6:47 of play for a 31-28 victory, earning the team a lock to host a first-round playoff game. Simmons said the team wouldn’t quit, which combined with good play calls helped make the difference that evening.
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“If you are really determined and you want to do something, you can pretty much do it,” he said. “You can put all the tools out there for somebody, but they have to want to do that.” Off the field, Simmons has focused on visiting colleges and deciding what the next steps in his life will be. He will soon sign with the University of South Dakota, which offered him a scholarship a month before his senior campaign began this fall for Lewis Central. “It’s definitely pretty difficult trying to pick a college,” Simmons said. “It helps having people to talk to. You can talk to coaches and family and that helps a lot.” Dan Miller, Lewis Central’s head boys basketball coach, said Simmons is the “consummate team player” and follows tasks through to completion. “He is willing to sacrifice personal glory for the good of the
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Sunday, February 1, 2015
9F
Hayley Dunlop is involved in a variety of activities at Lewis Central, giving her plenty of time to develop her leadership credentials and build the capacity to maintain her motivation.
Excellence follows Dunlop’s personal drive at L.C. Scott Stewart
sstewart@nonpareilonline.com
A key to leadership might not be able to be taught, according to the president of Lewis Central High School’s National Honor Society chapter. Hayley Dunlop said being connected to those you’re leading is important, and there’s a give-andtake, not barking orders. “There’s a big difference between being a leader and a boss,” she said. But motivation is another piece of the puzzle, one that leaders have to find within themselves. “If you don’t want to fail, and it’s in your best interest to persevere, it gives you an intrinsic motivation,” she said. “You have to want it for yourself. You have to know that you want to do it, set goals for yourself and want to. That is something you have to find
in yourself.” Dunlop is involved in a variety of activities at Lewis Central, giving her plenty of time to develop her leadership credentials and build the capacity to maintain her motivation.
She’s in band, choir and drama – “basically any fine arts activity that we have,” she said – as well as ecology club and Five Star, a group of student mentors who help freshmen and eighth-graders transition to high school.
Friends helped Dunlop find many of the activities she does, especially the fine arts, where she discovered others with personalities similar to her own – giving an additional benefit of worthy rivals at times. “Friendly competition never hurts anyone,” she said. “Our student body is great. We get along really well, and we have a lot of school spirit.” Andy Walters, the school’s instrumental music teacher, said Dunlop is one of Lewis Central’s most praiseworthy students. “Hayley is not only heavily involved in the arts and as a volunteer in our community but is also a very thoughtful, caring and mature young lady,” Walters said. “I am proud to know Hayley and would hope my own children would demonstrate the selflessness and hard work that she does every day.”
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Lorraine Duitsman, the school’s talented and gifted strategist, said Dunlop excels in academics and extracurricular activities, and she’s also invested her energy – guided by her intrinsic motivation – into self-directed, online Advanced Placement classes. “Very few students would thrive in these accelerated learning situations, but Hayley has,” Duitsman said. “She is unwilling to accept her current level of performance, no matter how exceptional, as an end point.” Duitsman said Dunlop is always looking for ways to challenge herself. “Hayley has an incredible work ethic and possesses the tools of a life-long learner,” she said. “Excellence is something that follows Hayley wherever she goes, both because of her innate ability and also because of her astounding personal drive.”
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The Daily Nonpareil
Heartland Christian School senior Debi Fontaine said she made friends quickly after moving from Louisiana to Council Bluffs.
Fontaine enjoys student fellowship created at Heartland TIM ROHWER
TROHWER@NONPAREILONLINE.COM
Debi Fontaine admits she was a little surprised at being chosen as one of two students spotlighted from Heartland Christian School because there were others considered. “I think it’s cool,” Fontaine said at being chosen. A high school senior at Heartland High School, Fontaine moved here from Louisiana withher family. “I’ve liked every year here. I’ve made friends quickly.” Fontaine has also made a lot of good grades. In fact, her current GPA is
an astounding 4.22, meaning her grades have been A+.
She’s been busy beyond the classroom, also.
“I’ve played volleyball for four years and track and field for three years.” For the past two summers, she has participated in a summer day care program. Fontaine has also performed in the school choir and participates musically in a Friday morning service at the school. On Thursday afternoons, she teaches the Bible to students at Bloomer Elementary School, averaging 25 to 30 students each session. As far as college, Fontaine is considering Grace Bible College in Omaha, majoring in something that is music related, she said. What Fontaine likes so much
at Heartland is the fellowship created with other students, especially when they gather for group prayer before lunch. “For a believer who has strong faith, it’s that unity of other believers that I like a lot.” The selection of Fontaine and fellow senior Jared Barton was an excellent one, Parton said. “I think these are two wonderful young people and they will do fantastic things whatever they do in life,” Parton said. “They’ve never had behavioral issues and both have wonderful parents who have been involved in the church and who are great role models for them.”
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The Daily Nonpareil
Sunday, February 1, 2015
11F
Heartland Christian School senior Jared Barton said he’s considering a future in engineering.
Longtime Heartland student Barton ‘likes it very much’ TIM ROHWER
TROHWER@NONPAREILONLINE.COM
Jared Barton said it was an honor to be chosen as one of the two spotlighted students from Heartland Christian School. “It was a little surprising because there were several people worthy of this,” he said. Now a senior in high school, Barton started at Heartland in preschool. “I have liked it very much.” That’s especially true in the classroom. Barton earned an impressive 35 point score, out of a maximum of 36, in English with an overall final score of 30 in his recent American College Testing,
or ACT, testing. He’s considering the University of Nebraska at
Omaha as his next educational step.
“I’m hoping to go into engineering.” Barton has been active outside the classroom. For the last two years, he has taught math and science at a volunteer summer camp. Barton has also performed with puppets at children’s ministry shows. On the athletic field, he has played golf and worked as a manager of the school’s basketball team. Most of all, Barton has enjoyed his experiences at Heartland because of the friendships he’s made and how they have daily prayer sessions in the school hallways, he said. Barton has also seen changes at the school. In 2000, two schools, Victory
Christian School, affiliated with Victory Fellowship, and Loess Hills Christian School, affiliated with Crossroads Christian Center, came together with the dream of a non-denominational, Bible-based school in the Council Bluffs area. In the 2001-02 school year, that dream became reality with the beginning of Heartland Christian School. In December of 2003, the school purchased the Lakeview Elementary School building from the Lewis Central Public School District and two months later, following renovation, Heartland Christian School moved into its permanent home at 400 Wright Road.
HONESTY. INTEGRITY. TRUST. Gladys Danker, Realtor (Licensed in IA & NE)
1032 Woodbury Ave. | Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Office: 712-328-5008 | Cell: 402-689-3100 gdanker@npdodge.com | www.npdodge.com
12F Sunday, February 1, 2015
The Daily Nonpareil
ISD’s Rosch overcomes obstacles Ashlee Coffey
acoffey@nonpareilonline.com
Dalton Rosch may not have known it when he was a child, but a toy ambulance that he received as a gift would change the course of his life forever. Of course, that path would not be easy. When Rosch was eight months old, a severe infection caused him to lose hearing in both ears. Even though he uses a cochlear implant to help him hear, life hasn’t always been easy for him in the hearing world. “Talking with hearing people is a challenge. Sometimes I’m by myself and it’s a challenge for me to know that I can do things that hearing people can do,” Rosch said through an interpreter. “I don’t have challenges with my deaf peers, but I feel like I have challenges with my hearing peers and they feel like I can’t compete with them, but I can.” Rosch grew up in the Clarinda Public School District and came to Council Bluffs to take part in the Iowa School for the Deaf’s summer
Staff photo/Joe Shearer
Iowa School for the Deaf student Dalton Rosch said he found opportunities at the school. program. “If I were to go to a public school, I would have no opportunity for a social life. That’s very difficult for me because I don’t speak,” he said. “So I can’t communicate with friends. If people want to go hang
out with me, I can’t communicate. But here, having friends who sign, helps the social aspect.” Because Rosch wants to become an EMT, he is currently taking classes at the Tucker Career and College Center in Council Bluffs.
There he gets the chance to visit a hospital and observe how doctors communicate with patients. Rosch understands there will be obstacles to overcome on his journey to becoming an EMT. Communication – a key element of being an EMT – will be a daily challenge, but Rosch has strategies for how he will overcome that. He plans to study lip reading, watching hand gestures, writing and having patients show him where they are hurting. “It’s my challenge – and I understand that,” he said. “I want to
make them feel better, not worse.” After high school, Rosch plans to attend Iowa Western Community College and study in their EMT and paramedic program. For anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation, Rosch had one bit of advice: Don’t listen to negative people. “People tell me I can’t do this, but I tell them ‘yes I can.’ Because I can do it,” he said. “People think I’m less than I am, but I’m not. Really, I’m a human just like everyone else. I have the same mind and capabilities.”
Cullen found a ‘big family’ at ISD Ashlee Coffey
acoffey@nonpareilonline.com
Submitted photo
Iowa School for the Deaf student Anna Cullen said she the school has given her more confidence.
Anna Cullen doesn’t believe in letting any obstacle get in the way of achieving her dreams. So when she started losing her hearing because of bilateral acoustic neuromas – benign tumors that grow along the nerves, caused by a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 2 – she found a way to overcome it and continue living her life the way she wanted to. “In the beginning, it felt like my life had turned upside down. I couldn’t imagine a future for myself, and I thought I’d be alone for the rest of my life,” Cullen said. “After a while, though, I started to realize
that I can’t let being deaf stop me from living the life I want to live.” When her hearing started to decline, going to a public school became very difficult, Cullen said. Eventually, talk of attending Iowa School for the Deaf started popping up in conversations – even if it wasn’t welcome at first. “The thought of going to school so far from home scared me. After a while, though, I was struggling in public school because I couldn’t really hear what people were talking about, and I knew I wouldn’t get anywhere if I just took the easy way and stayed at home,” she said. So she decided to give it a try. The night before leaving for ISD, Cullen said she couldn’t sleep – and even after she
arrived, she was homesick for the first several weeks. “I didn’t want not being able to hear to hold me back from doing what I want to do. I think I’ve gotten much more than what I expected,” she said. Her favorite thing about attending ISD is the fact that hearing loss isn’t a problem there because “everyone is willing to do whatever is needed to make sure we understand each other. We’re like a big family.” Cullen knows ISD will be there with her along her journey towards the future. “ISD has given me more confidence as a deaf individual,” she said. “I have many opportunities here, and I’m able to learn without any limitations.”
education, is like a bird without wings.
A child without
~Tibetan proverb
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