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Alumni Stories

"Because of CID, I have no barriers. I know I can go out and achieve anything." - Jessica		Jessica Nieva Whitehead's eyes sparkle when she talks about her career as a dentist, helping people and about her time as a student at CID - Central Institute for the Deaf. Jessica graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Dentistry in 2001, earning her BA in Biology and her DDS. Jessica is profoundly deaf in both ears. Her parents brought her to CID when she was 2. She graduated from CID in 1985, at age 10. Jessica was able to mainstream successfully and is grateful for the education she received from CID. "I remember a deep, deep caring and a great sense of belonging to a very close-knit family," she said. "The teachers really encouraged us and instilled a lot of confidence in me. Because of CID, I know I can go out and achieve anything. I have no barriers." Today, Jessica is enjoying a thriving new private dental practice she opened in October of 2008 in Fenton, Missouri. In 2006, she received bilateral cochlear implants. She said she can now hear sounds she couldn't hear with her hearing aids - including her new daughter's babblings and giggles.

Jessica Nieva Whitehead, CID Class of 1985

"Because of CID,
I have no barriers.
I know I can go
out and achieve anything."
- Jessica

Jessica Nieva Whitehead's eyes sparkle when she talks about her career as a dentist, helping people and about her time as a student at CID - Central Institute for the Deaf. Jessica graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Dentistry in 2001, earning her BA in Biology and her DDS.

Jessica is profoundly deaf in both ears. Her parents brought her to CID when she was 2. She graduated from CID in 1985, at age 10. Jessica was able to mainstream successfully and is grateful for the education she received from CID.

"I remember a deep, deep caring and a great sense of belonging to a very close-knit family," she said. "The teachers really encouraged us and instilled a lot of confidence in me. Because of CID, I know I can go out and achieve anything. I have no barriers."

Today, Jessica is enjoying a thriving new private dental practice she opened in October of 2008 in Fenton, Missouri.  In 2006, she received bilateral cochlear implants. She said she can now hear sounds she couldn't hear with her hearing aids - including her new daughter's babblings and giggles.

"Today, nothing fazes me. CID made that possible." - Jeff		1987 CID school alum Jeff Tucker graduated from law school at the University of Michigan in spring of 2006 and joined the St. Louis law firm Bryan Cave. Jeff practices corporate law, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions, securities and corporate finance and commercial transactions. Jeff was born profoundly deaf. He has come a long way since his parents brought him to the CID parent-infant program when he was 8 months old. He spent six years at CID, finished elementary school, and then launched an unlikely career as a champion debater at his local high school. He won several regional competitions, competed at the state level in three events and qualified for the national debate tournament. As an undergraduate at Northwestern University, Jeff began to diversify his extracurricular activities. He worked for the school's radio station and web site, covering Big Ten football and basketball as a beat reporter and studio commentator. He also served on a student advisory committee that provided recommendations to the university on accessibility issues for disabled people. Jeff will join the CID board of directors in January of 2010. Jeff is also a member of the board of the Starkloff Disability Institute, a St. Louis-based organization that champions the needs of the disabled. Jeff looks back at his time at CID as a time of listening, talking and learning. "I think the biggest thing was that so many people were constantly talking to me, whipping my ears into shape with lots of different voices and speech patterns," he said. "Today, nothing fazes me. CID made that possible." Jeff was recently selected as one of the St. Louis Business Journal's 30 Under 30, a group considered the future leaders of the St. Louis community.

"[CID teachers] give full time attention to each student and that makes all the difference." - Charlie		Charlie Weir is profoundly deaf. His family enrolled him at CID in his early teens and he graduated in 1991. Although he attended CID for only three years, he remembers the time as “a lot of hard work that really paid off and made me what I am today.” All of his life, Charlie has played sports. From water polo and lacrosse to golf and baseball, athletics are in his blood. He attended the University of Massachusetts and Lenoir-Rhyne College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine and athletic training in 2001. Charlie recently served as an athletic trainer for the USA men's soccer team at the 2009 Deaflympics in Taipei, Taiwan. He has worked with the Auburn University football team and the track and tennis teams at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He was assistant athletic trainer at Anderson University in South Carolina before he moved to St. Louis and became an athletic trainer at PRORehab pc and Eureka High School. Charlie loves working with student athletes, preventing, evaluating, treating and rehabilitating sports injuries. Now in his thirties, Charlie praises the CID teachers for helping him acquire speech and social skills. “They give full time attention to each student and that makes all the difference,” he said.

"We had the best for Allison at CID ..." - Allison's Mom		For nine years, Allison made an 80-mile commute every day to attend CID. In 2003, she graduated from CID and entered the fifth grade in an elementary school near her hometown of Jerseyville, Illinois. She made her transition to the mainstream look easy, becoming a straight-A student and ending her first year on the High Honor Roll. She played club soccer and also made the school basketball team, which went undefeated. “What’s really incredible is the study habits that have been instilled in Allison,” her mother, Melissa, said. “She is extremely goal-oriented. When she has a test, she studies every night and is motivated to get the best possible grade.” Allison has a cochlear implant, but still has to work extra hard because of her deafness. She knows she doesn’t get everything in the classroom, so she sits close to the teacher and faithfully asks questions when she doesn’t understand. Often with help from other students, Allison carries a portable FM system speaker from room to room. A teacher of the hearing impaired offers specialized assistance several times a week. “We had the best for Allison at CID and so we expect to continue to receive the best possible services in the school district,” said Melissa. Now at 17 years old, Allison is thriving in her junior year in high school, where she plays cross country track (which she has discovered she loves) and soccer. She is active on student council, serves as an office runner and has joined the art club. Allison was even on last year’s Homecoming Court! Allison has been thinking about college since she left CID. She said she would like to study somewhere close to home.

Allison, CID Class of 2003

"We had the best
for Allison at CID ..."
- Allison's Mom

For nine years, Allison made an 80-mile commute every day to attend CID. In 2003, she graduated from CID and entered the fifth grade in an elementary school near her hometown of Jerseyville, Illinois. She made her transition to the mainstream look easy, becoming a straight-A student and ending her first year on the High Honor Roll. She played club soccer and also made the school basketball team, which went undefeated.

“What’s really incredible is the study habits that have been instilled in Allison,” her mother, Melissa, said. “She is extremely goal-oriented. When she has a test, she studies every night and is motivated to get the best possible grade.”

Allison has a cochlear implant, but still has to work extra hard because of her deafness. She knows she doesn’t get everything in the classroom, so she sits close to the teacher and faithfully asks questions when she doesn’t understand. Often with help from other students, Allison carries a portable FM system speaker from room to room. A teacher of the hearing impaired offers specialized assistance several times a week.

“We had the best for Allison at CID and so we expect to continue to receive the best possible services in the school district,” said Melissa.

Now at 17 years old, Allison is thriving in her junior year in high school, where she plays cross country track (which she has discovered she loves) and soccer. She is active on student council, serves as an office runner and has joined the art club. Allison was even on last year’s Homecoming Court!

Allison has been thinking about college since she left CID. She said she would like to study somewhere close to home.

"I would not have made it this far if it wasn't for my ability to speak fluently and intelligently." - Tommy		At 6 months old, Tommy Horejes was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. His parents brought him to CID, where he spent 11 years learning to listen and talk. In 1990, Tommy graduated from CID and started classes in an elementary school with hearing students. Just a few weeks into the school year, he was elected president of his fifth-grade class. Success has followed Tommy throughout his academic career. In high school, he served on the student council and played three varsity sports. He became serious about a career in law when he "saw the injustice of the legal system toward disabled people." Tommy earned a BS and a master's degree in Justice Studies and, in December of 2009, he will defend his dissertation and earn a PhD in Justice Studies, specializing in disability policy, at Arizona State University. He has accepted a tenure-track faculty appointment at Gallaudet University, where he will begin teaching in spring of 2010. Tommy has made great strides as an advocate for the deaf community. He has served on the governing board of the prestigious National Youth Leadership Network. He has given talks on disability issues across the country and worked alongside city officials in Arizona and California. "I will never forget the unconditional support my teachers at CID gave me," he said.

Thomas Horejes, Class of 1990

"I would not have made it this far if it wasn't for my ability to speak fluently and intelligently."
- Tommy

At 6 months old, Tommy Horejes was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. His parents brought him to CID, where he spent 11 years learning to listen and talk. In 1990, Tommy graduated from CID and started classes in an elementary school with hearing students. Just a few weeks into the school year, he was elected president of his fifth-grade class.

Success has followed Tommy throughout his academic career. In high school, he served on the student council and played three varsity sports. He became serious about a career in law when he "saw the injustice of the legal system toward disabled people."

Tommy earned a BS and a master's degree in Justice Studies and, in December of 2009, he will defend his dissertation and earn a PhD in Justice Studies, specializing in disability policy, at Arizona State University. He has accepted a tenure-track faculty appointment at Gallaudet University, where he will begin teaching in spring of 2010.

Tommy has made great strides as an advocate for the deaf community. He has served on the governing board of the prestigious National Youth Leadership Network. He has given talks on disability issues across the country and worked alongside city officials in Arizona and California.

"I will never forget the unconditional support my teachers at CID gave me," he said.

"CID was one of the best schools I have attended." - Heather Whitestone McCallum, Miss America 1995		When Heather Whitestone faced the media following her crowning as Miss America in September of 1994, she may have remembered the first time she stood in front of a large audience to speak. Like her fellow graduates honoring a school tradition, then the 14-year-old Heather was giving her commencement speech at CID - Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1987, Heather was confident and matter-of-fact. “Thank you, teachers, for all you have taught me,” she said toward the end of her speech. “I feel very prepared for next year." Heather came to CID in 1984 at the age of 11 because she was doing poorly in a mainstream school. She had lost most of her hearing when she was 18 months old. At CID, she was an extraordinary student. In just three years, she made six grade levels of improvement in reading – about twice the normal rate for a hearing child -- and was ready for high school. Heather’s platform during her reign as Miss America was designed to foster youth motivation and was called “Anything Is Possible.” She developed the “STAR” program, which teaches children five steps for success: be positive, believe in yourself, face your obstacles, work hard and build a support network. Heather attributes much of her success to her mother, Daphne Gray, who initially taught her to speak, who encouraged her in everything from academics to ballet – and who became famous for showing her that the word American ends with the letters “I CAN.” Heather showed everyone the meaning of those words and won hearts around the country with a breathtaking ballet performance in the 1995 Miss America Pageant. Heather has since married and become the owner of a cosmetics company. She has two children and in 2003 received a cochlear implant. More than a decade after her reign as Miss America, she is still a popular speaker worldwide.

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