2008 Graeme Clark Scholarship Winners
Shoshana Cohn
Bowdoin College
Shoshana was diagnosed with hearing loss at 8 months of age. She received her first cochlear implant in her right ear at the age of 7 and a second implant in her left ear at age 15. Adopted from Bogota, Colombia, Shoshana credits her parents for pushing her beyond what is ordinarily expected of a deaf person to become the person she is today. Despite her hearing loss, Shoshana excelled as a high school honor student, was involved in theater and volunteered for several community programs, including a local school for the deaf. Shoshana also received the John Burnosky Book Award for academic achievement and strength of character. Upon graduation from high school, Shoshana participated in a year-long leadership training program in Israel. Currently a freshman at Bowdoin College, Shoshana plans to pursue a degree in child development and education with a focus in multicultural studies.
Francisco Raymond Lara
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Raymond was born completely deaf into a family situation that prevented him from taking advantage of services for the hearing impaired. At age 8, he was sent to live in the dorms at a state school for the deaf and subsequently lost contact with his birth mother and eight siblings. Raymond was later adopted by foster parents, who spent many hours talking to him about how he could positively change his future. At age 14, Raymond decided to receive a cochlear implant and never looked back. The implant vastly improved his communication and speech skills, allowing him to excel in a mainstream high school and participate in athletics, school clubs and church groups. Today, Raymond is a sophomore at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, where he maintains a 3.4 GPA and is pursuing a degree in applied networking and system administration.
Michael Noble
Southern Methodist University
Michael’s hearing loss went undiscovered until he was 15 months of age. His parents were told he would never be able to hear, speak or function as a person with “normal” hearing. However, at age 2, Michael made headlines when he became one of the first children in the Dallas area to successfully receive a cochlear implant. During high school, Michael served on the board of the International Business Academy program, participated in three honor societies and graduated with a near perfect GPA. Today, Michael is a freshman at Southern Methodist University, where he is a member of the Honors Program and plans to double major in business administration and marketing communications. One day, he hopes to pursue a career in automotive advertising.
Jentry Taylor
William Jewell College
Jentry struggled with hearing loss until the age of 15, when she decided to receive a cochlear implant. Receiving the “miracle” of sound in both ears completely changed her life. In high school, Jentry was on the honor roll and a member of student council and the varsity tennis team. She is also a tireless champion for those with hearing loss, volunteering with the Cochlear Awareness Network to help raise awareness of the opportunities to live a full life through hearing. She inspires others by sharing her personal story through various speaking engagements, personal meetings and has also written several articles about how her cochlear implant has changed her life for a variety of publications. Jentry is now a freshman at William Jewell College where she is pursuing a double major in non-profit leadership and English-creative writing.
Matthew Wetmore
Illinois State University
Matthew’s parents were surprised and devastated to learn that their son was born deaf. Given that his family has a huge love of music, their only hope was that Matthew would someday be able to speak and communicate normally. They never dreamed that Matthew would not only learn to play music, but also go on to be the highest placed trumpet player from his high school in over 21 years to play in the Illinois All-State Honors Orchestra – an accomplishment, Matthew says, made possible by the cochlear implant he received at age 8. In addition to his musical talents, Matthew was a member of the National Honor Society and ran cross-country and track. Now a freshman at Illinois State University, Matthew is majoring in middle level education and hopes one day to enter the teaching profession.
