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Celebrating Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate, became the youngest-ever inaugural poet on January 20, 2021. Amanda reportedly was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder in kindergarten and has struggled with speech.

Early on, writing became a way for her to express herself. Then in high school, she grew inspired to perform her work. She shared, “And so once I arrived at the point in my life in high school, where I said, ‘you know what? Writing my poems on the page isn’t enough for me. I have to give them breath, and life, I have to perform them as I am.’ That was the moment that I was able to grow past my speech impediment.”

We celebrate Amanda’s perseverance, confidence and powerful words as she’s a shining example of what’s possible when we work together to help children reach their full potential!

Thank you WJXT/News4Jax for highlighting our work and hosting Alisa Demico, MS, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, director of Clarke Florida, as a guest on the morning show!

Alisa notes that with the right resources and professional support the challenges that come with Auditory Processing Disorders can be overcome. Caregivers should understand what their child is going through; create natural opportunities during daily activities to learn and build listening and speech; and find ways to encourage children to build confidence. In time they will develop the skills they need to speak for themselves even when they may not be comfortable.

Clarke Director Celebrates Amanda Gorman from Clarke Schools on Vimeo.

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