Torin and Tevin attend the University of Massachusetts (UMass) at Amherst, a decade-and-a-half after the twin brothers – one with a hearing loss and one with typical hearing – attended Clarke’s Integrated Preschool Program in Northampton, MA.
Though their academic paths have been similar, their journeys have been unique. Torin was deafened by Kawasaki disease as a young boy in May 2005. He was in critical condition but thankfully pulled through, suffering total bilateral sensorineural hearing loss as a result. Soon after his recovery, Torin’s family and local school system enrolled him in preschool at Clarke Northampton in the fall of 2005. His twin brother Tevin was also able to attend preschool in Clarke in Northampton.
“[Torin’s] come a long way and it all started with Clarke… Probably one of the best decisions I made was to send Torin to Clarke,” notes the boys’ mother Kimberley, who proudly shares that both boys have a lot of confidence, which she also attributes to their early years at Clarke.
Today, the brothers have distinct interests and are very active outside of their studies. Torin is a biology major looking forward to joining Americorps. Tevin is a food science major and a member of the UMass track team with future Olympic hopes.
