Kathleen Excels with Mainstream Support from Clarke 

Kathleen, a senior in high school with a strong desire to give back, volunteers as a dance instructor for young children. When she was eight, Kathleen was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss during a routine school screening. She started using hearing aids at 12 years old. It was when Kathleen reached the age of 16 that the progressive nature of her hearing loss made her an ideal candidate for cochlear implants. By the end of her sophomore year in high school, Kathleen began receiving Clarke’s Mainstream Services, which includes regular support from a teacher of the deaf (TOD) in her mainstream school.

Kathleen’s mother expressed deep gratitude for discovering Clarke and its wealth of resources, saying, “Kathleen’s TOD has been a been a phenomenal champion and liaison for Kathleen as a student in a large public high school system… We are extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Clarke and our remarkable TOD as an integral part of Kathleen’s journey.” 

Kathleen is a 2024 recipient of the Caroline A Yale. Memorial Fund Scholarship and will use the funds to support her academic aspirations of becoming an ENT physician, specializing in cochlear implants at the College of the Holy Cross.