In early January, Clarke student Matthew and his classmates learned about Martin Luther King Jr. The following week, Matthew’s teacher asked him to share “weekend news” with the class. He drew a picture of himself at his house and wrote:  

I say thanks you Martin Luther King Jr in Martin Luther King Jr Day. 

Matthew’s mom Taryn was proud and explained that the family discussed the civil rights leader during their weekend dinner. “The conversation was sparked by Matthew! He enjoyed talking about his speeches with his older brother as well,” said Taryn. 

Matthew has profound hearing loss and uses bilateral cochlear implants. He started in Clarke’s Birth to Age Three Program just shy of two years old and entered the Clarke Preschool Program when he turned three. “He has made amazing progress in his speech and language skills,” noted Clare Gill, MED, LSLS Cert. AVEd, a teacher of the deaf at Clarke. “Matthew is creative, inquisitive, a sponge for information and has made huge gains in his articulation.” 

To learn more about Clarke’s programs for preschoolers, visit clarkeschools.org/preschoolers