When Concord High School graduate Diamond Burdine stares at himself in the room full of mirrors where he spends hours each week, he sees an Indiana University South Bend student with ambitions of becoming a professional dancer. But he saw something very different five years ago.&nbsp;Back then — before he joined Concord's Best Dance Crew — he saw a troubled teen who bounced among more than a dozen foster homes. He saw someone who'd just been arrested. He saw someone who would end up in jail.&nbsp;He saw a lot of things, but he didn't see hope.&nbsp;But now he’s taking home top honors from the Tremaine Dance Competition with the school's dance team and auditioning for “America's Got Talent” with the dance crew. He doesn’t have time to make trouble.&nbsp;"I was a foster kid. I really didn't care about anyone else's feelings, I didn't care about the world," Burdine said. "Dance sent me to a whole different world."&nbsp;Rich Matteson came on as the CHS resource officer about seven years ago, and very early in his time there he recognized the at-risk students and the challenges they were facing: peer pressure to join gangs or do drugs for the guys, teen pregnancy and self-esteem issues for the girls.&nbsp;But he noticed something else. Many of the kids notorious for making trouble were also the ones doing flips off bleachers and chairs, or dancing in the bathrooms and hallways during lunch.&nbsp;They were not the typical athletes, not like the football players, wrestlers or baseball players. They showed promise as dancers. That was the start of Concord’s Best Dance Crew.&nbsp;“The number of students ending up in jail and following in the wrong footsteps of parents, it’s astronomical,” Matteson said. “We have to find a way of pointing these kids in a different direction and giving them a way out.”&nbsp;Matteson recruited a handful of at-risk kids and gave them a set of strict stipulations: Show up every day after school for practice, keep grades up and racking up discipline referrals means dismissal from the team. The after-school practices were very intentional, Matteson said.&nbsp;“Most kids, especially young men and ladies in their position, they go home to an empty house or to a house where things aren’t going so well,” he said. “They turn to the street, running the streets all hours of the night. Getting arrested or involved in gang activity. But the dancers are here late at night; they don’t have that opportunity.”&nbsp;He teamed up with Stephanie Pairitz, who came to Concord to lead the existing dance program in 2009. Pairitz, who also acts as a coach, a mentor and a mom, said the dancers feel at home in their corner of the high school.&nbsp;They know they have an adult to talk to if they’re having a hard time or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich waiting for them if their cupboards are bare. For the original guys on Concord’s Best Dance Crew, that has made all the difference.&nbsp;“If Concord’s Best Dance Crew had never started, I would probably be in jail. Probably wouldn’t have graduated high school, to be honest,” Burdine said. “As soon as I joined, I learned from a lot of people that, hey, that’s not the way to go.”<h2>‘A SOUL THING’&nbsp;</h2>Burdine is just one of the success stories from Concord’s dance program.&nbsp;There’s also David Garcia, a junior, who started hanging out with so-called friends who were getting involved with gangs, drugs and alcohol. But then he joined the dance crew.&nbsp;“Ever since that, my life has changed,” he said. “These are the only people I hang out with. We have this bond. I feel like it’s unbreakable.”&nbsp;And there is Shimmy Sar, a senior who grew a passion for dancing by watching Michael Jackson videos.&nbsp;“I was conceited and thought I was better than everyone here,” he said. “I don’t like to ask for help, but I made a new family.”&nbsp;The success goes beyond the anecdotal evidence, Pairitz said. Every student who has committed to Concord’s Best Dance Crew has graduated from high school.&nbsp;That’s a 100 percent graduation rate, compared to the school’s rate of 87.5 percent. So, why has dance proven so successful at keeping kids in school?&nbsp;“Arts touch human beings in a way that nothing else can,” Pairitz said. “It touches our spirits. It’s a soul thing.”&nbsp;She said it gives students an outlet to express themselves and provides a distraction from their personal battles.&nbsp;One dancer lost her home and all her belongings in a fire her freshman year. Another was embroiled in a legal battle with her stepfather. Both said dance practice was a welcome escape from the confusion in their lives.&nbsp;The dance program is also successful because students get to act cool and listen to popular music, Pairitz said, but they’re not doing stupid things like stealing or getting in fights.&nbsp;“It fulfills that desire to go outside of your normal self and to live it,” she said.&nbsp;And, as insignificant as they might seem, it has to do with the mirrors that line three walls in the dance studio. They encourage introspection, Pairitz said.&nbsp;"It pushes you to be calm and incredibly aware of who you are and who you want to be," she said. "it's about taking up space, not trying to be invisible."&nbsp;<h2>‘AN AWARENESS THEY CAN DO ANYTHING’&nbsp;</h2>Pairitz trained as a professional dancer and spent time performing on national and international stages.&nbsp;She wants to give her students that same opportunity. “I knew that anything I really put my focus on I can really achieve,” she said. “That’s the most powerful thing to give to the next generation, is an awareness they can do anything.”&nbsp;With the financial support of the Elkhart community and scholarships from Tremaine, Pairitz took the team to regional and national competitions, where they challenged dancers from professional schools and studios.

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Concord High School dance program provides troubled teens with a way out

• Maintained relationships with the superintendents and school boards of Elkhart County's seven public school districts.&nbsp;• Visited all 55 public schools in the newspaper’s coverage area to learn from teachers and students in order to highlight positive and innovative education experiences.• Served on PBS panel discussion regarding standardized test scores alongside politicians and superintendents.

Education Reporter

education

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Bluebird's Complete Guide To Account-Based Marketing

Offer story-driven marketing services in the areas of content, design, strategy and development. Selected projects and accomplishments: Directed content strategy for Futurestay as the SaaS start-up successfully raised $11 million in Series A funding.<ul><li>• Used content (including webinars, ebooks, video, case studies, press releases, blogs &amp; more) to drive a 533% increase in organic traffic</li></ul>Served as the director of digital communications for the grassroots campaign of U.S. Congressional candidate Pat Hackett.<ul><li>• Earned media coverage from the New York Times, Newsweek, Marie Claire, NBC News, Time Magazine, among others</li><li>• 75% of voters contacted through campaign turned out to vote, compared with just 47% overall turnout</li></ul>Acted as copy lead on agile sprint testing campaigns. Used in-depth discovery work and user personas to draft, test &amp; iterate on messaging to drive growth.<ul><li>• Reduced CPC by 53% for electric vehicle rental start-up Borrow</li><li>• Achieved a CPI 33% lower than global iOS average for Morty, an app for escape room enthusiasts</li></ul>

Creative Director & Founder

business

technology

GOSHEN — When Ira Glass postponed his March 19 visit to Goshen College, the news was a relief for die-hard Indiana basketball fans.&nbsp;The same night that Glass, public radio star and host of NPR’s “This American Life,” was going to spend an evening in Goshen, Indiana University was set to take on rival University of Kentucky for a spot in the Sweet 16 in the 2016 NCAA tournament. Some in Goshen mused that Glass must be an IU or Kentucky basketball fan and he postponed the show so he could watch the big game live.&nbsp;Glass shot down that theory with a laugh during a recent telephone interview with The Elkhart Truth.&nbsp;The real reason he couldn’t make it in March? He was jetting off to Europe to try to meet up with a group on the run from the Islamic State group — a much more noble excuse than March Madness. Glass has since returned from Europe — the IS segment has not made it to a public broadcast yet — and will be speaking at Goshen College on Saturday evening. (A few tickets remain; visit goshen.edu/tickets if you’re interested.)&nbsp;During the event, called “Reinventing Radio: An Evening with Ira Glass,” Glass will talk about “This American Life” and how the show is made. He will recreate the sound of the show using his iPad on stage, mixing stories and his narration with pretaped quotes and music.&nbsp;“This American Life” is a weekly public radio show broadcast on more than 500 stations across the country. Each one-hour episode has a theme, and there are generally three or four stories or “acts” that fit that theme. The show combines documentary storytelling with other types of entertainment, like monologues or comedy routines.&nbsp;The best way to understand what the show is about is to give it a listen, Glass said.&nbsp;Glass chatted with The Elkhart Truth ahead of his first visit to Goshen. Here is a bit of what he had to say.&nbsp;<h2>What is the most challenging part of making a show?</h2>Glass: It’s hard finding stories and it’s hard making stories as sparkly as they can be. The mundane work can be hard, the planning of when stories can be finished, when stories can get on the air. Stories don’t want to be finished exactly when you want them to be finished. Finding an idea to make a story about is a job. It isn’t like stories are sprinkled on you like fairy dust.&nbsp;<h2>What makes a good story? How do you take a raw interview and turn it into a segment that sparkles?&nbsp;</h2>Glass: It depends on the story. Obviously, the plot has to be good and drive at some thought in the world. We’re looking for scenes with funny moments and emotional nights. It has to be interesting and surprising. Weirdly, a lot of the editing comes down to noticing when you’re bored and noticing when you feel excited. The more your work amuses yourself, the better it will be. We’re out for our own pleasure.&nbsp;We have a theory of what the story has to be, but often the story will change over the course of the interviews. The staff will edit over and over again and the person that’s listening will give notes and make these changes and then give it to someone who hasn’t heard it yet. Everyone gives notes. By the time it’s done with the process, it can be as many as eight or nine people in the room.&nbsp;Lots of stuff we kill, probably a third to a half of the stuff we start. That’s a luxury we get as a weekly show, but we’re also very dogged in making it work.&nbsp;<h2>What do you hope people take away from your work?</h2>Glass: Honestly, it’s entertainment. We want people to feel the feelings we feel. Sometimes it will be a very missionary show, when we think that people should know this or people need to hear about this. The first and foremost important thing is absolutely, people should be entertained and have feelings and experience it like a story.<h2>You’re also involved with the wildly successful “Serial” podcast. What do you think of its popularity?</h2>Glass: We all feel really excited and proud. “This American Life” is doing in short form what “Serial” does in an amazing way in long form. What’s interesting is it kind of kicked off a whole wave of people getting involved in pod-casting. Like, 10.7 million people have listened to every episode.<h2>What is a piece of advice you wish you had when you were first starting out?&nbsp;</h2>Glass: It’s normal not to be good at the beginning. I wasn’t so talented at the beginning. It took me a long time before my work was special in any way. I really wondered if I was ever going to get there. I wish someone told me that’s normal, that’s nothing strange.&nbsp;When there are movies about creative people, it’s about the Mozarts who were unstoppable. But most creative people, they were bad and then they got good. People take time to develop who they are and it’s important to think about that, to know you’re not as good as you want to be and that you want to be more special than you are.

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An Interview With Ira Glass: 'We want people to feel the feelings we feel'

Baker wasn’t authorized to act as a police officer in Kentucky, council saysOfficers in the Kentucky State University police department would have lost $3,100 in annual pay if officials hadn’t terminated Belinda Baker’s employment.KSU jeopardized its participation in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund by appointing Baker as interim director of University Safety and Security Affairs, according to correspondence obtained by The State Journal.A letter to KSU President Mary Sias dated March 14 said Baker is not authorized to act as a police officer in Kentucky — “not authorized” was underlined in the letter.“I must also advise you that in the event the University chooses to continue to allow Ms. Baker to act as chief of police, additional steps will be taken to remove the KSU Police Department from the KLEFP fund,” Dana Todd, legal counsel to the Department of Criminal Justice Training and the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, wrote in the letter.The fund pays each officer a $3,100 stipend per year so long as the department remains compliant with Peace Officer Professional Standards.State law outlines 17 minimum requirements to be a certified police officer in Kentucky.Some are minor, like being a U.S. citizen and possessing a valid driver’s license. Others require testing of agility and psychological suitability. To be certified in Kentucky, an officer must also not have had certification permanently revoked in another state.Even after the minimum requirements are met, an officer has no authority or power to act as a police officer in Kentucky until KLEC has verified the certification.“Ms. Baker has been contacted previously by KLEC to request her immediate submission of documentation to demonstrate her credentials and she has been advised by KLEC Executive&nbsp;Director Larry D. Ball that she does not have law enforcement authority within the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Todd wrote in the letter.&nbsp;“Please accept this letter as a formal notice to you that Ms. Baker has not submitted any of the requested documentation to KLEC to date.”Baker was originally offered the position of acting chief of police, which requires candidates to be certified law enforcement officers in Kentucky. But her offer was later amended to the position of interim director of University Safety and Security Affairs, which required only the eligibility to become certified.“Regardless of her announced job title, Ms. Baker is in fact presently acting as the Chief of the University’s police department,” Todd wrote in the letter.An investigation by DOCJT and KLEC revealed Baker was assigned an unmarked police vehicle equipped with blue emergency lights —&nbsp;a vehicle that, by law, may only be operated by a certified police officer.In her response to Todd’s letter, Sias said she was not aware of Baker’s lack of certification.“Please be assured that KSU seeks to remain eligible for participation in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund (KLEFPF) and to comply with all KLEC requirements pertaining to police officer certification,” Sias wrote in the letter.&nbsp;“The stipend support that KLEFPF affords our officers is critical and we are fortunate to have access to this resource.”Baker was terminated March 31, according to a document obtained by The State Journal.Todd also admonished Sias for not informing KLEC within five days that former chief Stephanie Bastin had been fired and replaced by Baker.In a letter dated March 26, Sias assured Todd the university would comply with notification law.&nbsp;She also noted Barbara Hayes was named acting director of University Safety and Security Affairs, effective March 28. Assistant Chief Tiua Chilton assumed the role of acting director Monday when she returned from a leave of absence.The situation at KSU was not Baker’s first brush with certification issues. A lawsuit was filed at Delaware State University, where Baker has returned to serve as deputy chief of police.According to the lawsuit, filed in 2011 by former DSU police officer Stephanie Smith against the university, tension was high in the police department when Baker was issued a handgun despite lacking proper certification.“Although Baker was hired in the summer of 2006, she was not certified as a police officer under the Delaware Council of Police Training program until April 2009,” according to the court file.&nbsp;“Under COPT regulations, a person must be certified before carrying a firearm and wearing a badge as a police officer.”On Oct. 26, 2006, Baker’s supervisor, Department of Public Safety Chief James Overton, issued her a handgun to qualify at the shooting range.“Smith complained to Overton, and then to COPT administrator Major Harry Downes, that Baker had been permitted to carry a firearm without first receiving the necessary COPT certification,” according to the file.The role of director of University Safety and Security Affairs has been posted to a job site, although it only requires applicants to be eligible to become a State of Kentucky Certified Law Enforcement Officer.

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Records reveal Kentucky State University funding at risk under interim safety head

• Reported on education legislation from Kentucky's capitol with articles detailing the impact on teachers, students and taxpayers.&nbsp;• Filed dozens of open records requests and earned the trust of internal sources to expose a pattern of wrongful terminations by a state-funded university.&nbsp;• Monitored and engaged with members of the community through online channels to ensure the newspaper delivered relevant content.

Education Reporter & Web Producer

GOSHEN — When Kaeclin “KC” Shepard was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 6 1⁄2, her family did not immediately grasp what that meant.&nbsp;Her parents, Tony and Kari Shepard, did not realize they would spend sleepless nights closely monitoring Kaeclin’s blood sugar, or that they would need to fight her in her sleep to feed her fast- acting sugar like Smarties. They did not realize that nearly every cabinet in their home would be stocked with medical supplies, or that they would need to inject a long needle in Kaeclin’s skin every few days.&nbsp;Kaeclin, who is now a 9-year-old Model Elementary student, did not realize she would no longer be able to attend slumber parties or ride her bike out of her parents’ sight.&nbsp;And Kaeclin’s older sister, Khylin, did not realize she would no longer be able to share treats and would be forced to watch her little sister grow up faster than any kid should.&nbsp;While the family is still praying for a cure, it has found the next best thing: a dog named Charli that has been trained to alert the family if Kaeclin’s blood sugar is out of the safe range.&nbsp;“I like how she loves on me and kisses me,” Kaeclin said, pausing for a deep breath, “and how she can save my life one day.”&nbsp;<h2>TYPE 1 DIABETES</h2>It was the summer before Kaeclin’s first-grade year when her family knew something was wrong.&nbsp;Kaeclin rapidly lost about 10 pounds and started demanding drinks more often. She also couldn’t make it through an entire Little League game without taking a bathroom break. Kari recognized the symptoms as type 1 diabetes because one of her close friends had been diagnosed as a kid, but she also held on to hope that it could be a urinary tract infection.&nbsp;The family scheduled an appointment for tests with a doctor, but Kaeclin was rushed to Lutheran Hospital of Indiana in Fort Wayne when the results came back. A diagnosis was confirmed June 23, 2012: Type 1 diabetes.&nbsp;The disease, previously known as juvenile diabetes, is typically diagnosed in children and young adults. Only 5 percent of people with diabetes are classified as Type 1, according to the American Diabetes Association.&nbsp;Doctors are not entirely sure what causes the disease beyond genetic dispositions, but they know it is not caused by a poor diet or lack of exercise.In patients with Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the pancreas and the body then fails to produce insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life Type 1 diabetes is treatable through insulin therapy, which requires patients to inject doses of insulin into their body to balance factors like food, exercise, stress and emotions.&nbsp;Treating the disease is a balancing act, because too much insulin can cause the body to burn too much glucose and blood sugar can drop to a dangerously low level.&nbsp;Kaeclin has battled with highs and lows. The highs — which, if left untreated, can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart and can also lead to coma and death — leave her feeling sluggish and tired. The lows cause her to feel light-headed and dizzy.&nbsp;During the first year of Kaeclin’s battle with diabetes, she depended entirely on insulin shots.&nbsp;“Any time she ate, she’d have a shot,” Kari said. “Her diet was very limited and she didn’t get snacks very often.”&nbsp;Kaeclin has become a pro at reading nutrition labels — anytime she eats something, she’s required to carefully calculate how many carbohydrates she’s ingesting.&nbsp;“She went from an extremely free-willed child to having to tell Mom and Dad where she is 110 percent of the time,” Kari said. “It’s not that we weren’t parenting before, but now we have to basically be a body part for her. We’re not just Mom and Dad, we’re her pancreas.”&nbsp;Eventually Kaeclin started using an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitoring system, but the new technology still requires careful maintenance. Kaeclin is still poked with a long needle every day for the insulin pump, and that leaves tubing under the skin. The monitor requires a separate injection for the sensor, and Kaeclin still carefully watches her food intake.&nbsp;A device and watch connected to the CGM allow Kari and Tony to monitor Kaeclin’s levels constantly — but the number is delayed by several minutes, unlike the nose of a dog.&nbsp;<h2>CHOOSING CHARLI</h2>That strong nose is especially good for finding the chicken bone in the trash or the squirrel shimmying up the tree in the backyard — but fortunately for Kaeclin, it is also good for detecting rapid changes in blood sugar levels.&nbsp;Kari spent four months researching a reputable training company after the family decided to invest in a diabetic alert dog, coming across horror stories and lawsuits in the process.&nbsp;There is no regulation of service dogs for diabetes, and some breeders have been accused of selling untrained or improperly trained dogs for upward of $25,000. But then Kari came across a place in Nebraska called Heads Up Hounds that did not have a single negative review. The organization trains rescue dogs — in return for having their lives saved, the dogs can save the lives of diabetics.&nbsp;While other trainers breed dogs specifically for the job, Heads Up Hounds first accepts diabetic clients and then searches shelters within a 100-mile radius to find the perfect dog. Among the criteria: The dog must weigh between 30 and 80 pounds, be between the ages of 1 and 3, cannot be too hyper and must love treats.&nbsp;Training takes several months. The clients are asked to chew on cotton swathes when their blood sugar falls or spikes, which the dogs then use to figure out when to alert.&nbsp;Sometimes, even several months into training, a dog can wash out — it happened twice to the Shepards. KC first had her heart set on a yellow Lab she named HiLo, but the dog was anxious. A second yellow Lab washed out too.&nbsp;But then Charli, a black Lab, was surrendered to a shelter and found by Heads Up Hounds. She passed all the tests and was even taken to a local swim school for training because Kaeclin spends a lot of time around the water at her family’s business, Shepard Swim School.&nbsp;The Shepards traveled to Nebraska in late March for three days of intensive training with Charli and her Heads Up Hounds trainer. The family learned about Charli, her commands, training tips, rules and how to handle her in restaurants and public areas.&nbsp;Charli came home with Kaeclin on March 29, but the training will continue for the rest of her life. Charli still gets distracted by animals, but she’s starting to listen to Kaeclin and Tony more.&nbsp;Charli goes everywhere with the family except for school, but that’s the next step.&nbsp;The family is working to educate the public that Charli is a working dog and it is not OK to pet her or feed her. She needs to devote all of her attention to Kaeclin and stay alert in the case of a drastic blood sugar change.&nbsp;Even as Charli makes herself at home in Goshen, the Heads Up Hounds team keeps in touch with the Shepards.&nbsp;“We have contact with them daily if we choose, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes on the phone,” Kari said. “They tweak things and help us adjust. They’re really with us for the entire journey.”<h2>A DIABETIC’S BEST FRIEND</h2>Kaeclin had always wanted a dog but her parents never agreed. Kari suffers from bad allergies — although from what she considers a miracle, Charli does not bother her health — and Tony always thought it would be best to wait until the family moved to a home with more land.&nbsp;But there was no answer except for “yes” when the dog could save their daughter’s life.&nbsp;“As a parent, that’s been the hardest part to deal with,” Tony said. “The fact that at any moment, any time, we can lose KC. That’s why we’re going to give her any medical device and any opportunity to have a long life.”&nbsp;Charli is already picking up on dangerous blood sugar levels by alerting Tony or Kaeclin by nudging her nose into their hands. A few weeks ago, Kaeclin was at church when Charli alerted her and Tony. Kaeclin’s monitor was reading 80, but when she used a test strip to check her blood sugar, it was only 52.&nbsp;“Charli notified them of a low number that Kaeclin couldn’t feel, and she was also way ahead of technology,” Kari said. “We are so thankful she caught this low, that could have been dangerously going lower.”&nbsp;Kari said in the nearly three years Kaeclin has been battling the disease, she has never seen her daughter happier. Kaeclin loves to rub Charli’s belly and rest her head on top of her while she sleeps. Kari has even caught Kaeclin curled up on the floor of her bedroom next to Charli, who is not allowed on the bed.&nbsp;“There’s the medical aspect to this dog, but also a special bond,” Tony said. “Diabetes is tough enough, but Charli gives her a buddy to go through it with her and help her with it.”&nbsp;Charli has helped Kaeclin with a lot, she said. Kaeclin had been bullied at school for her medical equipment, and one boy in her class last year even threatened her. Since that happened, she was scared to walk upstairs alone or go to the bathroom alone. She would never enter the house first, or even wander into a different room alone, Kari said.&nbsp;That changed when Kaeclin learned Charli would protect her.&nbsp;“My dad walked in one night and Charli heard something downstairs and started barking,” she said. “She’s like my guard dog.”&nbsp;Now Kaeclin will go upstairs by herself to get something with Charli and she goes to the bathroom alone. She even sleeps with the lights off and the door closed.&nbsp;“She feels comfort, protection and has finally overcome this huge fear,” Kari said. “Who knew Charli would bring so much more to Kaeclin and our family than alerting low and high blood sugar? She is my hero.”

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Rescue dog named Charli helps Goshen girl battle highs, lows of type 1 diabetes

health

Do you feel compelled to respond to every spam email and cold email you receive? Probably not.&nbsp;Receiving a gift of tangible value -- whether physically or via a digital gift card -- is a different story. It all comes down to science: When you receive a gift, you feel a psychological need to reciprocate.Savvy B2B sales professionals are using that psychological response to their advantage by sending gifts to meet sales goals. From scheduling that first meeting to celebrating a contract renewal, corporate gifts are a proven way to move customers through the sales process.However, if it’s not done with care, corporate gifts can also feel tacky and unmemorable.As studies of corporate gifting have found, it’s not just what you send as a gift that matters. The timing, delivery and message will determine whether you’re ignored or whether you make the sale.Trying to navigate all those factors to make sure your gift is well-received can sound overwhelming to sales representatives who are already working overtime finding new leads, generating quotes and performing back-to-back demos on Zoom. Bluebird can help.Bluebird is a platform that uses smart integrations to send automated notecards, personalized gifts and digital gift cards to prospects, customers and other team members. The software seamlessly syncs with popular sales tools like HubSpot, Salesforce and Gmail and weaves into the sales funnel.&nbsp;The Bluebird system has tripled response rates and resulted in a 400 percent increase in sales leads accepted for some of the leading companies who trust the automation.From digital Starbucks cards that are refunded if they’re not redeemed to branded apparel and tech gadgets, Bluebird manages both the automation and the distribution of corporate gifts.<h2>Corporate Gifting without the Corporate Hassle</h2>It is clear that a corporate gifting campaign can help you land a contract. But is it worth the time?Corporate gifting used to require teams to identify prospects, browse Amazon for a gift, request permission to use the company card, try to track down the right address for the prospect, follow-up to make sure the gift was received, and then track all of that in the company CRM. Although those kinds of campaigns can yield results, they don’t last long because they’re too labor-intensive.&nbsp;Bluebird offers the advantages of personalized corporate gift campaigns, but eliminates all of the hassle with automation and expansive distribution and supply networks.Now, a company can grant each sales representative a pre-authorized budget for gifts. Using data and analytics from your existing tech stack, Bluebird can automatically send an email to a list of contacts with a digital gift card to Starbucks included. All the interactions are recorded in your CRM for you, and you’ll receive a refund on the gift card if it’s not redeemed.&nbsp;Although a handwritten note can never be truly automated, it can at least be taken off your plate. Bluebird packages a handwritten note with every delivery so that your gift will stand out from the crowd and land you a sale.<h2>The Right Gift for the Right Time &nbsp;</h2>Although corporate gifts play an important role in business relationships at all levels, the first one is arguably the most important.&nbsp;With the average professional receiving more than 100 emails every day, how do you cut through that noise? Intelligent gifting.&nbsp;Smart and personalized giving is the secret sauce for booking that first meeting, making sure they actually show up, finalizing the deal and welcoming your new customer on board.Corporate gifts can make help build your relationship at any step in the sales funnel, and Bluebird will show you how.&nbsp;<h2>Corporate Gifts for Scheduling Meetings &nbsp;</h2>Rejection hurts. Even if your email does land in the primary inbox or your call isn’t sent straight to voicemail, there’s always a very real possibility that the answer to a meeting will be: “No.”&nbsp;But you’re not above bribery — at least not at this stage in the relationship.Offering a small gift does two things:<ul><li>It shows that you mean business. Offering something of value can help you build trust with a client or organization.</li><li>It recognizes that their time is valuable. Many people are stretched thin in the workplace and are fiercely protective of their time. Offering to compensate a potential customer with a cup of coffee or another small gift will make them feel more generous with their schedule. &nbsp;</li></ul>Bluebird’s digital gift cards are an affordable way to entice leads to book a meeting. But don’t shy away from big gestures if you’re confident they’ll pay off.&nbsp;<h3>Amazon gift card</h3>It’s easy to ignore a sales email. The message may seem personal and friendly enough, but you just know that it’s a mailmerge being sent to hundreds of other prospects who match the criteria.But what if an Amazon gift card is attached to that email? There’s no way that company can afford to send Amazon gift cards to hundreds or thousands of cold leads — or is there?&nbsp;With Bluebird’s Bulk Engagement feature, you can upload a CSV file with your contacts and digital gift card links will be generated automatically. Any gift cards that aren’t redeemed are refunded to your account.<h3>Yeti coffee mug</h3>In the midst of a global pandemic, people are not so keen on meeting up with strangers in coffee shops. Instead, mail your hottest leads a nice Yeti coffee mug with a personalized note asking them to join you for a virtual cup of coffee.&nbsp;<h3>A Cameo message from a celebrity</h3>Your invitation to lunch may be easy enough to turn down, but no one turns down Chuck Norris or Brett Farve. While Bluebird’s platform capitalizes on the power of automation, sometimes one-time gifts are worth the extra effort. For a unique and unforgettable meeting invitation, pay for a celebrity to make introductions on your behalf. Browse the available celebrities on cameo.com, craft the perfect message and wait for the meeting to be accepted on your calendar.<h3>Business book</h3>Find a popular business book that demonstrates the value of your product (the key word here is “popular” — not a self-published Kindle book that only has 10 downloads) and send it to people who might be interested in learning more. Even if they turn down your initial meeting request, they might change their mind when they finally make time to read that book that’s been sitting on their desk for the past month.‍<h2>Corporate Gifts to Reinforce Scheduled Meetings &nbsp;</h2>That account manager you’re trying to woo is busy. So busy, in fact, that they will likely begin purging unnecessary meetings off their calendar.&nbsp;“Sorry, a big project came up and I’ll need to cancel. Can we reconnect when I have my head above water again?”Translation? “It was a good try, but you’ll probably never hear from me again.”Avoid being ghosted by sending a Meeting Reinforcer. These gifts serve as friendly reminders that you are offering something of value in exchange for their time. It is a lot harder to cancel a meeting at the last minute when you know your meal has already been paid for (psst… your client doesn’t need to know that your gift card is auto-refunded by Bluebird if it’s not redeemed).&nbsp;Create an integration with your calendar to send gifts to your new client meetings, and Bluebird will make sure you’re never stood up again.<h3>A leather-bound notebook</h3>Landed a meeting with a potential partner? Pair this with a meeting reminder and a personal message reading: “Take notes, because we’re going to make big things happen for both of us.” A quality notebook has lasting impact — anytime they grab for something to jot down an idea, they’ll think of you and your thoughtfulness.<h3>Meal delivery</h3>Virtual meetings have become more common through the COVID-19 pandemic, but what is still unexpected: A meal delivered for your next meeting. Check what meal delivery services are available in your client’s area and send them credit to order a lunch of their choice from Uber Eats or DoorDash.&nbsp;<h3>Assortment of organic coffees and teas</h3>Give your potential client a break from the lukewarm breakroom coffee and offer them a taste of doing business with you. Use Bluebird to automatically send your gift the week of your meeting with a handwritten reminder of the appointment.(Bonus points for this one if you sent a coffee mug to schedule the meeting. Your consistency will pay off.)<h2>Corporate Gifts That Accelerate Deals</h2>The waiting game is hard — unless you know how to play it right.You made the cold call, landed a meeting and thought you sealed the deal… but suddenly it’s crickets.In this case, no news is not good news. Rather than sending that generic “wanted to check if you had any questions about the contract” email, try a thoughtful gift with a personalized note. Bluebird can automatically add a task in your CRM a few days after you send a proposal to a new lead. If you’re worried that your gift will come off as a bribe, try framing the handwritten note that accompanies it as a token of appreciation for their consideration.These gifts can put a smile on a customer’s face and a signature on that contract. Baked goods can win over anyone with a sweet tooth, or you can base your gift on your client’s industry.<h3>Cookies</h3>Cookies are for closers. Remember that, and your deal won’t crumble. Send a box of sweets with a handwritten note and you just might trigger a Pavlovian response: When your client thinks of your company, their mouth will start watering and they’ll be scrambling for more. Bluebird partners with local businesses that offer edible goods so your gift feels even more authentic.<h3>Portable charging bank</h3>Everyone dreads a dead phone battery in the middle of a busy day on the go. Give your business agreement a boost with a portable charger. Let your potential client know how much your meeting energized you, or let them know that you’re always standing by when they feel like they’re running on empty.<h3>Terrarium or succulent</h3>Plants are often safe gifts to accelerate a contract because they’re modest and not-too-personal. Paired with a note about how you look forward to seeing how your relationship grows, a terrarium or succulent planter is a great way to stay at the top of their mind.<h3>Lotion or bath set</h3>If you are hoping to win over someone who works on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic, a nice set of lotions and soaps with mild scents would be appreciated to reverse the effects of all the hand sanitizer. Your handwritten note can thank them for considering your proposal and for playing an essential role in the pandemic.<h3>Recycled tote bag</h3>If you’re courting a green company, show them you appreciate and respect their dedication to preserving the environment by sending a recycled cotton tote bag. They’ll appreciate the attention you paid to their mission so much that you can consider this deal in the bag.<h3>Blue light glasses</h3>If you work in the SaaS industry, blue-light blocking glasses can be a thoughtful way to accelerate a deal. If they’re interested in your product, they’re obviously spending some time on a computer screen. Show them you care by giving their eyes some relief from the screen.&nbsp;<h2>Corporate Gifts That Are Great for Onboarding</h2>Buyer’s remorse happens in business relationships. A customer who was so excited to work with you suddenly wants out. Knowing that buyer’s remorse typically strikes in the first few days after a new contract, companies can prevent it from ever creeping in by offering reassurance.By sending a gift and handwritten note when you onboard a new company or client, you are acknowledging that the client has put trust in you to deliver on your promises. They’ll feel more comfortable in their decision to work with you when they receive your package in the mail with a personal note. Even better, they’ll feel like part of your team if they’re gifted an item with your logo.&nbsp;<h3>A durable backpack or laptop bag</h3>Send a notecard to your new partner or employee that you appreciate how much they will be bringing to the team, and that you’ve sent a bag for them to store it all. They will proudly sport your logo on their new bag when they feel appreciated and welcomed onboard.<h3>A pair of branded socks</h3>Onboarding is the perfect time to add your logo to a gift. Now that they’re part of your team, the gift won’t feel like a piece of free advertising. Show your new client what a great pair you’ll make by sending them socks from your Bluebird onboarding box.&nbsp;<h3>Branded headphones</h3>Tell your newest client that you can’t wait to listen to what they have to say by sending them a set of high-quality branded headphones. They will be put to good use during all those Zoom meetings over the course of your relationship.<h3>A donation to charity</h3>Not every onboarding gift must be branded. You can also welcome someone on board with a thoughtful gesture like a donation to their favorite nonprofit. (Tip: Many charities will send a letter or email about the gift on your behalf.) Pair it with a handwritten note about how you’re so grateful to have them on board that you wanted to share some of your appreciation with a good cause.<h3>Portable speaker</h3>Your new business partnership is going to rock. A portable Bluetooth speaker with your brand engraved will communicate your excitement.<h2>Corporate Gifts to Help with Renewals and Upsells</h2>Don’t stop sending thoughtful and personalized corporate gifts just because you already landed the deal. Show your most loyal partners, clients and vendors how much you appreciate them with a well-timed corporate gift.&nbsp;Use Bluebird’s intelligent integrations to automate annual gifting. Most corporate gifting happens during the holiday season, but gifts automated to send on important anniversaries are much more memorable.&nbsp;Show your client you remember them on an important date (a birthday, a company anniversary, or one of those silly national holidays), and they’ll be more likely to remember you when it’s time to sign a new contract.<h3>Champagne gift basket</h3>Take time to celebrate with your client. After you hit a big milestone together, send a bottle of premium champagne and flutes to say “cheers” to your continued relationship.<h3>Umbrella</h3>Especially this year, clients and their account representatives have navigated huge hurdles and it has required nearly everyone to change the way they work. People appreciate corporate gifts that are practical, but they’ll especially appreciate the message the umbrella sends: “We’ve weathered this storm together.”<h3>Desk calendar</h3>Just before the New Year, send an elegant desk calendar to your client to let them know how excited you are about the things to come in the next year. Not only is a calendar practical (which is always appreciated in a gift), the passing days and months will remind your client of your long history together.&nbsp;<h3>Fitbit or activity tracker</h3>If your new client is particularly athletic or active, convince them you’ll go the extra mile for them by sending an activity tracker. That big gesture might be exactly what they needed to go with your premium package.&nbsp;<h3>Spa treatment</h3>Work can be stressful. If you’ve navigated through a particularly chaotic or challenging time with a client or employee, treat them with a gift certificate for a massage or an at-home zen kit. By acknowledging their mental health needs, you’re showing that you care about them on a personal level on top of your professional relationship. That’s not something easy to forget.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>Don’t forget to personalize your corporate gift</h2>Whether you send a cup of coffee or an expensive bottle of champagne, your message won’t be as powerful without a handwritten note to accompany it. The ink on paper tells a client you appreciate their relationship and their business enough to go beyond the quick email or phone call.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you’re already swamped trying to deliver the products and services you promised, how can you possibly keep track of the cards and gifts that need to be sent throughout the year? You leave it to Bluebird.A happy team of people with great penmanship craft a beautiful handwritten message based on the information you provide in the notes of your order. Bluebird has already generated more than 2 million handwritten characters and saved more than 2,500 hours by marketing and fulfillment reps.&nbsp;Find out how Bluebird can help you set and forget your corporate gifting to land more sales in less time.

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The Best Corporate Gifts And When To Use Them

When Cody Hall, a mechanical engineer from Elkhart, visited Malawi on a mission trip, there was a single phrase that stuck with him: “Madzi ndi moyo.”

It means “water is life.”

“This is not water for shaving. This isn’t water for washing your motorcycle,” Cody said. “This is the water you drink. It’s the water you cook with. It’s the water you give your children that sustains them. It’s what life is based on and you can’t live without it.”

But water systems require regular maintenance, which can be time-consuming or even dangerous in war-torn countries.

That is why an Elkhart-based organization has developed a universal satellite monitoring system that reports data on the health of water systems in underdeveloped countries. 

The SonSetLink™ water monitor can track anything from the number of gallons flowing from a single system on any given day to the levels of chlorination in that water.

Water systems fail, and our water partners often don’t realize it until it’s too late – or they waste time checking on pumps that don’t need maintenance. The SonSetLink™ water monitor  provides data that informs maintenance crews and helps them plan routine and emergency pump maintenance . The result? Clean water keeps flowing.

SonSet Solutions has deployed more than 750 water monitoring units to more than 25 countries across the world so far.

One of the units has been installed in a remote village in the Ecuadorian jungle. The water system failed one day, and the village gathered to figure out what to do. A man from the village soon embarked on a long journey to the offices of the organization that installed the water system. After an eight-hour walk through the jungle and a four-hour bus ride, he finally arrived.

But thanks to the SonSetLink™ water monitoring system, the team had already learned of the system failure and had pulled the schematics to begin the troubleshooting process.

However, the man’s journey was not in vain.

“He arrived just in time to learn about possible failures and their repair procedures, and to collect the equipment needed to restore the flow of clean water in record time,” said Doug Weber, creative director for SonSet Solutions. “Does water monitoring really make a difference? It did for this village.”

**ABOUT SONSET SOLUTIONS
**
SonSet Solutions is an Elkhart-based nonprofit that aims to provide technology-based solutions to advance the Gospel worldwide. The organization believes that technology can expand the reach and deepen the impact of ministries around the world. In addition to the SonSetLink™ water monitors, SonSet Solutions specializes in building portable, solar-powered radio receivers and establishing radio stations to bring hope to communities around the world. 

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SonSet Solutions keeps clean water flowing with satellite monitor

nonprofit

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) - Cool jazz tunes from Dave Brubeck waft down the hallways of the Roosevelt STEAM Academy.The music is heard outside of classrooms where students are tapping away on their keyboards or programming robots. In other areas of the school, it is drowned out by the sound of third-graders playing songs such as “Hot Cross Buns” on their wind and string instruments.The soft soundtrack played over the school’s loudspeaker is just one way the school is incorporating music into its daily operations.On Tuesday, musicians from the Longy School of Music of Bard College sat side by side with students and learned what has been happening at the school since it underwent a transformation at the beginning of the year.In addition to being the first school in Elkhart County to take a STEAM - science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics - approach to learning, the school is one of the first in the country to implement a music program known as El Sistema.El Sistema is a music education program from Venezuela that uses rigorous music study to develop contributing and productive citizens.Emily Kubitskey, the wind ensemble director of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles and an El Sistema advocate, observed the program in action and said she was impressed to see the level of support and collaboration already in place at Roosevelt.“It’s incredible,” she told The Elkhart Truth.El Sistema was designed to serve the neediest students with the fewest resources, making Roosevelt a good test site for the program.Eighty percent of the school’s students qualify for free- or reduced-price meals, according to the Indiana Department of Education, and a quarter of them are English language learners.But El Sistema seems to be overcoming those challenges using music, the visitors noted.Each third-grader at Roosevelt is assigned an instrument - families were not required to pay anything extra to cover the costs - and they play together regularly as an ensemble.On the white board in Todd Neuenschwander’s music classroom is a guide to how students should act in orchestra.“Always act in a way that helps the group get better,” it reads in the center.From that bubble are arrows to directions like “Be responsible, “Use kindness in your voice,” ”Work together to solve problems” and “Come to school every day.”Bradley Sheppard, director of secondary instruction for Elkhart Community Schools, said those ideas also apply to being a good citizen.Kubitskey pointed out that that is what El Sistema is about - schools are not teaching students to play the flute to become a classical musician, but rather to be a strong leader.The Roosevelt students performed their first concert at an open house Dec. 17, when parents were invited to see what kind of projects are in the works.School events like literacy nights rarely get a large turnout, but more than 500 showed up to Roosevelt Elementary that night.Roosevelt Principal Jeff Komins said it was that night that he realized just how much of a difference El Sistema is making.He said students were dragging their parents around the building to show off their projects, and parents were comfortable in the school setting.Students are also excited about the program.Third-grader Maylina Forest-Shuler, who likes playing the drums and bells, said she feels smarter and knows more words since she has learned an instrument.She also said the daily music lessons help with the rest of her schoolwork.“It helps you to focus more because you have more hands-on and more learning to do,” she said.Although El Sistema and the focus on the arts is a central and unique program at Roosevelt, it is only one of five emphasized topics. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are also taught at the academy.The STEAM approach allows students to explore those topics through hands-on lessons in and out of the classroom.Students toured Conn-Selmer in October to learn about how the instruments - the same ones they play each day at school - are made.They started at the end of the tour, examining the completed instruments that come out of the major Elkhart-based instrument manufacturer, and then doubled back and watched as a tube of metal was shaped into a flute with a lip plate and keys.And at the Dec. 17 open house, students were demonstrating how they had programmed robots to score soccer goals.“It all becomes infused,” said John Hill, Elkhart Community School’s assistant superintendent for instruction. “When we stop looking at subjects in isolation, students start connecting.”Because it is only the first year of the STEAM Academy at Roosevelt, it is too early to look at quantitative measures of success like test scores or attendance rates.But stories from teachers, students, parents and administrators indicate the approach is changing the school for the better.Komins said requiring all students to wear a uniform takes the focus off of trendy clothing and puts it back on learning, resulting in better behavior among students.Retired teacher Jan Thomas, who taught orchestra for 22 years, can also testify to the better behavior. She volunteers as a mentor in the music classes and said she was impressed by how well Roosevelt students behave in the hallway.“Kids are paying better attention in class, they’re not sitting there like little machines,” she said. “They are all working together to help each other do something really good. How can it not succeed?”

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New music curriculum helps struggling school change its tune

On International Day of the Girl, KidzToPros celebrates the girls of the world and their limitless potential! The International Day of the Girl was declared by the United Nations to bring attention to the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment. It has been celebrated annually on Oct. 11 since 2012.&nbsp;“Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion,” the United Nations writes in recognition of the day. “As entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are creating a world that is relevant for them and future generations.”&nbsp;The United Nations has created a list of goals to achieve by 2030 as a roadmap for progress, and achieving women’s empowerment “is integral to each of the goals.”&nbsp;At KidzToPros, we believe that one of the best ways we can empower girls is to prepare them for the jobs of the future. According to the 2020 Jobs of Tomorrow report from the World Economic Forum, four of the seven fastest-growing career clusters involve computer science, data analysis, engineering and cloud computing. Hiring managers will be looking for technical skills when hiring for those jobs, so let’s give our girls a head start by helping them learn to code as early as possible.&nbsp;Even if a girl isn’t interested in a career in computer science or engineering, coding skills can be applied to other careers and other aspects of life. Coding teaches students to think in a different way and view the world more critically. It also requires an abundance of attention to detail, which many employers say is lacking in today’s jobseekers.&nbsp;The number of jobs that require some coding knowledge is expected to grow exponentially as we see more AI-powered robots and programs becoming a core part of many different industries.&nbsp;In celebration of International Day of the Girl, here are 5 ways you can empower the girls in your life to learn to code.&nbsp;<h2>1. Provide hands-on learning opportunities&nbsp;</h2>Introducing children to STEM learning can start as soon as they are toddlers playing with their first block set. The wooden blocks help encourage problem-solving skills and creative thinking — the possibilities of things to build is virtually endless.&nbsp;When the next birthday or holiday rolls around, consider buying a young girl in your life a toy that develops STEM skills. Amazon has a category devoted to STEM learning toys, which can be filtered based on age, price and ratings.&nbsp;<h2>2. Ask for help around the house&nbsp;</h2>The next time your Internet router needs reset or a wire wiggled loose on your television, consider asking your daughter to help fix it. They’ll need to practice problem-solving to complete the task, and the fact that you asked for help will build their confidence and sense of self-worth.&nbsp;Bonus: If you are a coder yourself, invite your daughter to keep you company while you finish up a few work projects. Letting her see what a job in STEM looks like will broaden her horizon.&nbsp;<h2>3. Ask your school to add coding classes or offer to lead a coding club&nbsp;</h2>Although computer science is a driving force in the U.S. economy and accounts for much of the future job growth, the subject remains marginalized in public education systems — especially in the younger grades.&nbsp;Now that most schools across the country have invested in 1:1 technology programs that provide computers for every student, the infrastructure is already in place to introduce coding in the classroom.&nbsp;KidzToPros has created ready-to-use curriculum that is teacher-trusted and easy to implement. If your school does not seem receptive to adding coding to the curriculum, you could offer to start an after-school coding club. Girls Who Code is one already existing network of clubs that allows girls to explore coding in a fun and friendly environment.&nbsp;Not only do girls learn the technical skills, but they’re also exposed to positive female role models with coding experience. Girls Who Code clubs are free to start and are targeted to girls in Grades 3-12.&nbsp;<h2>4. Spend time on the computer together&nbsp;</h2>This may seem counterintuitive to most advice that urges parents to get their kids outside and active, but the Internet can be a wonderful tool to help empower girls.&nbsp;Spend an hour or two in the evening or on weekends exploring free games and programs that teach coding in a fun and approachable way. Listed below are a few of the most popular free coding websites for kids: CodeMonkey: Move a monkey around the screen using code to fetch all the bananas stolen by a gorilla.&nbsp;The code used by the game, called Coffee Script, is in compliance with Javascript and is presented in a simple manner. The game includes 250 free challenges. ScratchJr: With this simple programming language, children can snap colorful blocks together to make characters move, run and sing. Scratch uses the same principles as any other coding language, but is fun for kids.&nbsp;Not only does ScratchJr provide a coding foundation, it allows young children to express themselves creatively. (KidzToPros offers several Scratch coding courses. An instructor will lead a small group through Scratch to improve their coding skills, creativity, reasoning and problem-solving.)&nbsp;<h2>5. Sign up for a KidzToPros Online Coding &amp; Game Design Course&nbsp;</h2>KidzToPros offers one- and two-week Online Coding &amp; Game Design programs. The project-based curriculum helps children reach proficiency in popular design and coding software. The programs prepare kids for high-demand careers by engaging them with fun and accessible projects like games, apps and robots. Courses are available for students in Grades 2-3, Grades 4-5 and Grades 6-12.&nbsp;The lineup of courses offers popular programs like Minecraft, Roblox, Python, Java, Web Design and Digital 3D modeling. The online courses are limited to 5 students each, which allows each student to receive personalized attention while also learning collaboration and teamwork skills.&nbsp;Learn more and enroll in a course today on the KidzToPros website.

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5 ways to empower girls and help them learn to code

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — A 5-year-old Columbus boy lost his battle to cancer 12 months ago, but his "Angels" are still fighting for a cure.Just before preschool, Peyton Whittington was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a disease that strikes the brain stem and renders nervous system function impossible. He died a year later.His parents, Lynn and John Whittington, still are grieving. But they are dedicating their lives to finding a cure.Lynn Whittington launched the Peyton's Angels Indiana Chapter of the Cure Starts Now in December. She has been preparing for the chapter's first event ever since — and now it's here.All proceeds will go toward finding a cure for DIPG and other pediatric brain tumors. Statistics show that fewer than 10 percent of children diagnosed with the disease will live longer than 18 months, and survival is even rarer."I look at DIPG as an intruder who broke into our lives, tortured and killed my son," Lynn Whittington said. "I'm going after this disease with everything I have."It was two years ago on Father's Day when the Whittingtons' world crumbled.Peyton was learning to ride his bike on June 15. The next day, he felt dizzy and was seeing two trees in the family's front yard where only one stands."He couldn't even stand or walk," John said. "He was acting the same as somebody who drinks too much, but the problem is it just keeps going."Peyton was bleeding in his brain and was rushed by ambulance to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis on June 17.He fell asleep there during an MRI — the moment doctors realized how serious Peyton's illness was."The doctor burst through the doors and started shaking him," his mother said."She said he should not be sleeping. He was slipping into a coma. She said, 'We need to do something now, or we'll lose him.'"The tumor was in his brain stem and it could not be removed.As Peyton went into surgery to release the pressure, his family said goodbye to him. They did not know whether it would be for the last time.But they had another year with Peyton.The Whittingtons took a helicopter ride through the Grand Canyon. They saw the Beatles LOVE show in Las Vegas. They painted pictures with dolphins by putting paintbrushes in the animals' mouths.John Whittington said the family learned to live for the moments between MRIs, which were scheduled for every 30 days. It was the MRI that would reveal whether the tumor was growing."We knew one of the days it was not going to be good news," he said.They drove an RV through nine states so Peyton could see his country. They hiked to the top of Pike's Peak and visited beaches and his great-grandmother. Peyton met Spider-Man and took lots of airplane rides."We wanted to experience everything we could as a family," John Whittington said. "We really did live like there was no tomorrow."But tomorrow came and the tumor was growing.Peyton went through radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but he also had fun with friends and family.On June 2, 2013, Peyton's parents threw a party for him after the Miracle Ride for Riley. There was a tent set up and motorcycles rode up the hill to the Whittingtons' home southeast of the city. There was a magician, food, prizes and games.Peyton's mobility was challenged at that point, so he played checkers and Memory with his friends.As Peyton's friends left the party, they showered him with hugs and kisses."They said goodbye to him that day, but they had no idea it was forever," John Whittington said.Peyton died peacefully in his mother's arms June 4, 2013.Peyton's picture still hangs on the wall next to his twin brother Stillman's most recent school portrait."It's hard seeing Peyton stay the same age and watching his brother get older," his mother said. "We had a hard time changing that photo out."There are still times she is overcome with grief.Like when she reaches down to hold Stillman's hand and instinctively reaches for Peyton's, too. Or when she buries her face in the shirt Peyton died in, only to learn the scent has disappeared.She said there is not a day that goes by that she does not shed a tear or two.June 8 marked the one-year anniversary of the day Lynn and John Whittington buried their son.Though she usually tries to stay strong, Lynn Whittington hid in her bedroom that day. She slept, watched TV and prayed."Every time I dozed off, I dreamed of him," she said. "It's funny, in my dreams I no longer see him as disfigured from the tumor like he was in that last year. I always dream of him the way he was before. He is always smiling and full of life and energy."She said she thinks that is Peyton's way of telling her that he is happy and healed.His father misses Peyton when he sees the stack of Republic newspapers in his closet. Peyton would run upstairs with the day's edition before Lynn could throw it away.He would sit on his bed with John and look at the weather maps to see where it was warm and where it was cold.John Whittington is not the biological father to Peyton and Stillman, but he wanted to claim the twins officially as his sons after Peyton's death.On Oct. 31, he became the first father in Indiana to be allowed to adopt a son post-mortem."He has loved them since the first day he laid eyes on them," Lynn said. "He views them as his own and they only know him as their daddy."Stillman also struggles with the loss of his twin. His parents said he talks about Peyton all the time. He races toy cars with him, and he plays checkers with him by moving both pieces."He's still in his heart. They have that bond," their mother said. "Stillman recently said that Peyton is not in heaven. That he is here with us, but we just can't see him."John and Lynn Whittington have used that opportunity to teach him that like Jesus, those whom they love are both in heaven and in their hearts.Peyton never met his baby sister, Alexandria Whittington, who was born two months after his death — but he still left his mark on her. Before her birth, Peyton nicknamed her Pickle, and Lynn Whittington sometimes calls her "our little Pickle."She said Alexandria has a personality of her own, but her mother still sees Peyton in her.Peyton also made an impact on the Rockcreek Elementary School community, where he attended school. Lynn Whittington sees that when she browses Instagram and finds pictures of her son with the caption "#MCM," a hashtag that stands for Man Crush Monday.The school raised nearly $400 through Caps for a Cure, where students can bring a $1 donation and are allowed to wear a hat for the day. Cierra McCauley, who was battling cancer alongside Peyton, helped raise $800 with her dance class at Sonya's Dance Zone."It's really amazing to see the impact a preschool student has on the entire school," John Whittington said.Even after he is gone, his parents are convinced that Peyton is continuing to make a difference.John and Lynn Whittington donated Peyton's tumor for research. They have learned the tumor is still growing — news that brought them anguish during Peyton's life but joy after death.That development means scientists can watch how the tumor progresses and benefit from that information."It's hard, but if people don't make that decision, research will never advance," John Whittington said.They are also going after the cure with money.Peyton's Angels Indiana Chapter already has raised more than $17,000, with proceeds from Sunday's carnival adding to the total.There will be a silent auction for items including gift baskets and getaways.Hackman's Farm Market and Greenhouse donated plants to sell at a booth called Planting for Peyton. Right after Peyton died, people across the country bought plants and on a certain day planted them in memory of him. They would send pictures to Lynn of their gardens.John Whittington said the chapter is not asking anyone to turn over a blank check. They have done their research on The Cure Starts Now and believe in its mission.While most money from cancer awareness organizations is allocated to cancers with more victims, The Cure Starts Now focuses on pediatric brain cancer.DIPG is one of the most resistant of all cancers to chemotherapy treatments. It affects primarily children, whose treatment has in the past led to innovations in other forms of cancer."Put together, these obstacles offer researchers a chance to revolutionize cancer research and prevention," according to the foundation.The Cure Starts Now, with the help of Peyton's Angels Indiana Chapter, is searching for the home run cure."We really have turned this into a passion," Lynn Whittington said. "Hopefully one day we'll stop, but only if we find a cure."

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Honoring their angel: Boy's parents fight for cure for cancer

• Developed relationships and built trust with school and health leaders as a beat reporter.• Delivered daily news content while also working on in-depth investigative pieces.• Studied complex issues in health and education and distilled the information into interesting and informative articles.

Education & Health Reporter

A single ripe tomato sits on the windowsill of Rosemary Poe’s ground-floor apartment.&nbsp;To most people, the fruit only represents the summer bounty still to come. But to Rosemary, the tomato is a symbol of the choice and possibility she has found since she came into the care of ADEC.&nbsp;Rosemary was skeptical when she first came into contact with someone from ADEC in 1984. She remembers cowering in the corner of a room in a home owned by Jill, who was a group leader for ADEC at the time.&nbsp;“I didn’t know what to do,” Rosemary recalled. “I was scared and I thought I was in trouble.” It was a police officer who dropped Rosemary off at Jill’s apartment, rescuing her from an abusive home. Her father had been abusing her – emotionally, physically and sexually – since her childhood.&nbsp;Even when Rosemary was injured from helping her dad with scrapping work – moving heavy machinery and stripping it down with a sledgehammer – he would not take Rosemary to see a doctor.&nbsp;Once, when Rosemary attempted suicide to escape the abuse, her father made her suffer through the overdose by herself.&nbsp;“Dad was hurting me in every way he could, through every abuse there was,” she said. “He kept me locked in that house. It was like a prison. He told me that I could never come back home if I ever left.”&nbsp;But once the police intervened, Jill and others at ADEC worked tirelessly to make sure Rosemary knew she was finally safe and free. ADEC petitioned to be Rosemary’s legal guardian and has protected her and acted as her advocate for more than 30 years.&nbsp;Rosemary was one of the first individuals to be served by ADEC’s corporate guardianship program, which serves more than 60 individuals by helping them with personal decisions, advocating for them and protecting them.&nbsp;“Without ADEC, I would still be in the same hellhole I was born into,” she said. “I’m happy now.”&nbsp;She’s happy because she can finally grow her own tomatoes on the patio of her apartment – something she only dreamed about for many years. ADEC helped make that possible by connecting Rosemary with the care and resources she needs and deserves. She’s happy when she crochets colorful blankets at home or meets with friends every Tuesday to knit and talk. And she is happy because no one is trying to hurt her or steal her money any more.&nbsp;It’s a very real fear for Rosemary and others with disabilities. Studies show that they are four to ten times more likely to be abused than those without disabilities. That is part of the reason ADEC’s guardianship program is so important – in its 30-year history, the program has rescued dozens of individuals from situations similar to Rosemary’s. Yet the program is one of a few administered through ADEC that receives no federal or state funding. Additionally, about 15 percent of the individuals who receive guardianship services receive no other services from ADEC.&nbsp;Still, ADEC remains committed to making sure each guardianship client finds A Life of Their Own, Dignity, Employment and Community – the four core values that guide everything ADEC does. And that means a lot to people like Rosemary. Each week, Tobi Weirich, Rosemary’s guardian advocate, visits her in her apartment to make sure she is receiving the medical care she needs, her home is safe and clean and her finances are being properly handled.&nbsp;“I don’t have anybody beating me up anymore, or anybody trying to hurt me,” Rosemary said. “Plus I get to go to the doctor when I’m sick. It feels so good to make my own decisions.”&nbsp;Rosemary said she hopes that by sharing her story, she may be able to reach and help someone who is experiencing abuse like she did during her childhood.

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ADEC’s guardianship program protects people with disabilities from abuse

Managed a department of 4 FTE specialists to to handle internal and external communications for the nonprofit that serves more than 1,200 individuals with disabilities.• Led the “65 Stories for 65 Years” storytelling campaign that reached more than 1.3 million users on Facebook (including Justin Timberlake).• Increased self-referrals to services by 16% by clarifying messaging around program offerings and benefits.

Communications Director

disability

An article I wrote about a family's experience with Down syndrome was named the top feature article of the year in the Kentucky Press Association's Excellence in Newspapers contest.

On July 19, 2013, Josh Kimble and a team of supporters arrived at the Kentucky Capitol after a 96-mile walk from his home in Radcliff. He made the trek to raise awareness and demonstrate the capabilities of those with disabilities.

Best Feature Article

T.J. Kimble was sitting at the railroad crossing he drove over every day on his way home.&nbsp;He was ready to stop his car on the tracks there were no crossing gates, so it would look accidental. But as he heard the blast of the horn, he cried out, "Lord, please send someone who can understand what's going on inside of me and help me get better."&nbsp;The outburst surprised him so much he missed the train. Eighteen years later, he's alive and well- a fact he attributes mostly to his son, Joshua, who was born two years after the incident.&nbsp;He's sure Josh, now 15, was sent to help him understand what was going on inside of him and help him get better.&nbsp;Josh was born with Down syndrome. In the hospital, TJ. and his wife were told of all the things Josh wouldn't be able to do, but Josh showed the world what he could do.&nbsp;"My friend Joshua had a disability more severe than mine, but yet still finds ways to live beyond his own disability," T.J. said. "The older he became, the more he inspired me to live beyond my own depression. I began to realize my son Joshua's Down syndrome had turned my depression upside down."&nbsp;On July 19, TJ., Josh and a group of supporters will arrive at the steps of the Capitol after a 96-mile walk from Radcliff to raise funds and awareness to empower others with disabilities.&nbsp;When T.J. was 6, he lost control of his bicycle and ran it into a moving car. Knocked unconscious, he awoke in a pool of blood bigger than he was. He said the compound skull fracture that resulted was the start to a lifetime of challenges.&nbsp;The complications began in first grade when he was moved to a special education classroom and was never put on the track for a high school diploma.&nbsp;"I had struggled all my life," he said. "I now know that was, in large part, due to my head injury."&nbsp;TJ.'s father was killed in a hit-and-run car accident in Dallas when he was 10. The stepfather who later became part of his life was nothing like his biological father, he said.&nbsp;"My stepfather was very abusive," he said. "I've had a loaded gun - he and his drug-dealing and drug-taking friends, they pointed a loaded gun at my left temple and cocked it."&nbsp;But he lived to tell about it. T.J. also lived to tell about the time he got into a particularly bad fight with his stepfather, which resulted in him having his head slammed against concrete multiple times.&nbsp;"I couldn't take it anymore," he said. "I remember thinking, 'Whatever normal is, this isn't it. I think I'm just going to leave here.""&nbsp;He jumped a fence and never returned to that house, despite being home less for almost a year. T.J. wandered from trash bins to a campground to a trailer park when it got really cold.&nbsp;"I just remember one day I got down on my hands and knees and I prayed," he said. “I remember, 26 years ago, I prayed: 'God, if you're out there and you're really real and you care about somebody like me, then send somebody to tell me about your love."&nbsp;Not long after, a woman showed up to the trailer he was staying in and asked him if he would like to go to church with her and her husband. "That was one of the miracles that happened," T.J. said.&nbsp;T.J. later moved in with the family that invited him to church and eventually went to school to become a minister. He met a woman named Liz, and they've now been married for 20 years.&nbsp;Despite the stability and security he found in his church and his wife, T.J. still didn't feel right.&nbsp;"I realized that something was still very wrong inside of me," he said. "I was clinically depressed, and I didn't realize it. I can't put into words the intensity and the gravity of the pain I felt.”&nbsp;He remembers three distinct instances in which he tried to end his life, including the railroad incident. The suicidal tendencies stopped when Josh was born in 1997.&nbsp;"I began to feel the barriers and layers of insulation break down around me," T.J. said. "I began to feel these acts make me feel alive again."&nbsp;The little acts of love Josh displayed inspired T.J. to overcome his own disability, the clinical depression. He's working on a book, to be titled "The Joshua Factor Story," to compile the many ways Josh has touched not only his life, but others' too.&nbsp;"It just became infectious," he said. "I found myself in a place of whole- ness, and I was like, 'Wow, I want to help other people. I want to help them discover this.'"T.J. went to school to become a clinician, a time when he began to understand what happened in his own life.&nbsp;For two years now, T.J. has operated a practice, Your Best Life Now Counseling, from Lifeline Assembly of God in Radcliff. T.J. employs a faith-based counseling approach.&nbsp;Mostly, he counsels families with children with disabilities. He helps them see beyond the disability.

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Son helps father learn to live with disability

In 2014, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. hoped to become one of the first school districts in the country to offer free prekindergarten programming to all families. To fund the initiative, the district asked taxpayers to approve a referendum that would add 5 cents per $100 assessed valuation to their property tax bill.

I spent the two months leading up to the election reporting on the referendum. A series of 9 articles published in The Republic examined the financial impact of the tax increase, the benefits of prekindergarten education and how the district planned to execute the new program. 

Taxpayers did not approve the tax increase, but my reporting was recognized by Indiana's Associated Press Media Editors.

First Place, Feature Series

In 2014, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. hoped to become one of the first school districts in the country to offer free prekindergarten programming to all families. To fund the initiative, the district asked taxpayers to approve a referendum that would add 5 cents per $100 assessed valuation to their property tax bill.I spent the two months leading up to the election reporting on the referendum. A series of 9 articles published in The Republic examined the financial impact of the tax increase, the benefits of prekindergarten education and how the district planned to execute the new program.Taxpayers did not approve the tax increase, but my reporting was recognized by Indiana's Associated Press Media Editors.Check out a few clippings from the 9-piece series below:&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed">
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 Article from Oct 19, 2014 The Republic (Columbus, Indiana)  
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 Article from Oct 26, 2014 The Republic (Columbus, Indiana)  
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4 Is The New 5: Making The Case For Universal Pre-K

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I never would have thought a plain hospital parking garage could elicit such powerful memories.But as I unbuckled my 3-year-old son from his car seat and urged him to walk quickly so we would make it to our appointment on time today, memories from the last time I visited Elkhart General Hospital flooded back.I was cutting the timing close for that appointment, too, and I recall another woman rushing past me in the stairwell as she pulled a white lab coat over her shoulders.“I’m glad I’m not the only one,” I said. She laughed and told me that at least I got a free pass because I was carrying an infant in a car seat.The woman in the stairwell was actually the audiologist we were scheduled to see for Max’s auditory brainstem response test that morning.After Max failed his newborn hearing screening, we were referred to a local hearing center with an appointment a few months out. On the day of the follow-up tests, some of the equipment was broken and our referral was passed to another audiologist in the area.The next day, I answered an urgent call asking if we could schedule the tests for the following week. The audiologist wanted to see Max as soon as possible, as infants older than 3 months are more likely to need sedation for the test as the results are only accurate if there is no movement or external noise. Natural sleep is much safer than sedated sleep for an infant, and we were about to miss that window.The test was scheduled for Max's 3-month birthday and we were given instructions to wake him early and wait to feed him until we were in the testing booth. If we timed it right, he would be hungry and tired enough that a bottle would put him in a deep sleep to allow for accurate results.When we got settled into the noise-proof testing booth, the audiologist described the test and told me that she would be sending signals of various frequencies and volumes and measuring the response through electrical sensors on his forehead.She asked me if I wanted to know the results as she was conducting the test or if I would rather wait until my husband could join when she was done.“If you’re not sure how you would handle bad news, it's better to wait,” she said. An emotional outburst would put a quick end to the test.My job was to remain still and calm, and I knew my nervous energy would be a disruption if I was wondering what the audiologist was recording the entire time.“Tell me as you go,” I told her. The machine started sending beeps through the baby-sized earbuds and the audiologist watched a chart on her computer. As the beeps went higher in frequency, she whispered that she was not registering a response.&nbsp;The longer we could keep Max asleep, the more tones and frequencies the audiologist could test. Max stirred after about an hour, so we took a break while I nursed him back to sleep for another hour or so.&nbsp; The audiologist flipped on the lights, invited my husband back into the booth and summarized the results: mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss with a slope to the right, meaning higher frequencies are harder to hear. She sat with us for more than an hour and answered all the questions we didn't realize we had about hearing loss. Will his hearing get worse over time? What caused his hearing loss? Will he need to learn sign language? Will he need hearing aids or a cochlear implant? Will he develop language at the same pace as his peers? How can we help him? She didn't have all the answers, but she recommended a game plan: We would get Max fitted with hearing aids as soon as possible. Every day we waited, he was missing out on the sounds that would help him develop language.&nbsp; Max's hearing aids were activated three years ago, and he is now filled with hundreds of words and questions to show for it (the early interventions through First Steps and the Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative helped, too).&nbsp; We were back at the hospital today for an appointment with a genetics counselor. I'm certain we were offered a referral for genetics testing when Max was younger, but Travis and I both agreed: It won't change anything, so we don't need to know. But when Max was sick with a mysterious infection, I realized the importance of the test. Without knowing the cause of Max's hearing loss, every runny nose or stomachache would make me wonder if the symptoms were actually a rare genetic condition finally making itself known.&nbsp; The results of a genetics test can't change Max's hearing loss, but they can help us prepare for future health complications in the case that his hearing loss is caused by a syndromic gene mutation. After a quick cheek swab, Max's saliva sample is on its way to the lab to screen for 200 of the most common gene mutations that cause hearing loss. In a few weeks, we'll know if Max's hearing loss is genetic (which is likely, given no other apparent cause), and whether it is associated with other symptoms (unlikely, but possible). There are a few genes that I am terrified of seeing on the positive list from the results, like one that can cause a disease called Usher syndrome which also causes progressive vision loss starting in late adolescence.&nbsp; I remember leaving the hospital after Max's ABR. My husband and I sat in the car and let Max play with the steering wheel while we attempted to process the diagnosis. We weren't sure what his life would look like, but we knew he would be fine.&nbsp; As Max and I left his appointment today, I know we were right: Thanks to early intervention, Max is a talkative toddler with Paw Patrol hearing aids. He will be just fine.

From ABR to genetics counseling: Reflecting on hearing loss testing

Michelle Sokol

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Before my own son was born with hearing loss, I did not know much about how the ears worked. As it turns out, most people don't understand hearing loss – even medical professionals. At Max's three-month checkup &nbsp;– after his ABR and before we received his hearing aids – his pediatrician turned to leave the room but paused for a moment. She clapped her hands and loudly exclaimed: “BYE, MAXWELL!”Max and I both startled at the sudden noise, and the pediatrician noticed.&nbsp;“See, he can hear just fine,” she said with a wink as she walked out the door.&nbsp;At his next appointment, she again hinted that his hearing was fine and that he would "grow out" of his hearing aids.I explained that his hearing loss was most likely permanent and that he may “grow out” of the hearing aids some day, but right now they are critical to help him develop language. She shrugged and told me she had seen bigger miracles in her career.If that encounter had happened today – now that I have several years of experience as an advocate for Max and his hearing loss – I would have used the exchange as a teaching moment. I would have explained the importance of recognizing hearing loss and the impact even mild losses can have on brain function.&nbsp;Instead, I turned to a Facebook community for parents with hearing loss for reassurance that I was not overreacting about the situation.&nbsp;More than 50 parents commented on my post, many sharing their own similar experiences. One mom shared that her child's doctor refused to provide a referral to audiologist or ENT, meaning that her insurance would not cover the specialty visits. Another shared that a teacher would continuously lower her voice during parent-teacher conferences to a whisper, just to see if her kid was “faking it.”Most comments encouraged me to find a new pediatrician. As someone who has always avoided conflict, the thought of asking for a new doctor made me anxious.But a few weeks later, we returned to the pediatrician's office with an ear infection. A new doctor was working the acute clinic that day, and he paused before looking in Max's ear.&nbsp;“I need to be honest, I've never treated a child with hearing aids. Is there anything I should know before the exam? Does he need any special accommodations because of his hearing loss?” By admitting that he did not have much experience or knowledge about hearing loss, he gained my trust immediately.&nbsp;After seeing a clearly infected ear and prescribing the necessary antibiotics, the doctor asked if I had any more questions: “Yes, are you accepting new patients?”On the way out of the office, I stopped at the front desk and asked to be transferred to the new doctor. While it may not have counted as a dramatic “firing,” it was the first time I stepped out of my own comfort zone to advocate for my son. I know it won't be the last. When Max caught the flu and ended up with another ear infection this year, we visited the pediatrician. His ear was hurting too much to wear his hearing aids, so it was the first time the doctor had interacted with Max without technology. When Max answered a question himself, his doctor turned to me with a surprised face and asked with genuine curiosity: “He heard that? What kind of sounds can he hear on his own?" I pulled up Max's audiogram on my phone and showed him that his loss means he can hear most sounds, but loses some of the most important language noises. I was so grateful for the exchange and the opportunity to help a medical professional better understand hearing loss. Although his audiogram is now complete – we have charted his loss through years of various testing – there are still things I do not understand about Max's hearing loss. I'm still baffled when Max wakes up from a deep sleep to the sound of his dad fluffing his pillow downstairs, yet sleeps through a blaring fire alarm.&nbsp;I'm still learning, and I encourage everyone in Max's life to do the same. I love answering questions about Max's hearing loss and how he is experiencing the world.&nbsp;But please, don't "test" his hearing. We have an audiologist for that.

Why I Fired My Son's Pediatrician For Clapping

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I once heard someone describe raising a child with hearing loss as dancing in the dark, and I have carried that with me.&nbsp; I knew nothing about hearing loss until my own son was born with moderate to severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and I still struggle with the knowledge that he is experiencing the world in a way that I never have. Raising Max has been a dance in the dark as I have tried my best to advocate for him without truly understanding his needs or his challenges.Thankfully, early intervention for Max also included training and information for his parents. Through First Steps, we qualified for an online therapy called iHEAR through the St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. For 2.5 years, we met with a speech language pathologist every week to learn new ways to incorporate language into our normal play. Max was battling a cold one week early in our iHEAR journey, and I didn't want to wake him from his nap. Instead of skipping the session, our iHEAR coach asked, “Have you ever heard of the speech banana?” She shared her screen and showed me an audiogram with a yellow band highlighted in the middle. It looked like a banana. An audiogram is a graph that represents a range of sounds, with Decibels (loudness) on the vertical axis and frequency (pitch) on the horizontal axis. A person with normal hearing will have a line that is mostly flat and close to the top of the graph, while a person with hearing loss will have a line that dips down at certain frequencies, indicating that they have difficulty hearing those sounds.A dog barking, which is generally low-pitched and loud, would be plotted on one corner of the graph while a bird chirping, high-pitched and quiet, would be on the opposite corner. Any sound we encounter in the world can be plotted on an audiogram, including the individual sounds that we us when speaking words and sentences.When the most common speech sounds are plotted on an audiogram, the narrow band takes the shape of a banana. It's called the “speech banana,” and it is the single most helpful tool I have found to understand hearing loss.&nbsp; Our iHEAR coach pulled Max's most recent audiogram from his file and drew a green line across the chart and through the banana.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:61.61%;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/listenup/image/upload/v1674837370/Max_s_Speech_Banana_a96c1c51c7.png" alt="Max's Speech Banana" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/listenup/image/upload/v1674837370/thumbnail_Max_s_Speech_Banana_a96c1c51c7.png 164w,https://res.cloudinary.com/listenup/image/upload/v1674837372/small_Max_s_Speech_Banana_a96c1c51c7.png 500w,https://res.cloudinary.com/listenup/image/upload/v1674837372/medium_Max_s_Speech_Banana_a96c1c51c7.png 750w,https://res.cloudinary.com/listenup/image/upload/v1674837372/large_Max_s_Speech_Banana_a96c1c51c7.png 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Charting Max's audiogram across the speech banana helped me finally understand his hearing loss.</figcaption></figure>She explained that without hearing aids, Max has difficulty hearing any sound above the green line. Half of the sounds that makes up language was above the green line.&nbsp; While Max was responding to our voices and most sounds, he was missing the individual sounds that help us decipher words. His brain would be on overdrive to compensate, trying to fill in the gaps and use other context to comprehend what was being said. Hearing aids aren't like glasses. They don't magically make sound clear, but they can be programmed to amplify the most important sounds and help fill in the gaps.&nbsp; Recent research has shown a strong link between hearing loss and dementia. Studies have found that older adults with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia than those with normal hearing. This is thought to be because the brain has to work harder to compensate for missing sounds, which can lead to cognitive decline over time.Research has not yet been published to show whether hearing aids can slow or prevent dementia, but there is plenty of evidence to show that they will help Max develop language and learn to communicate. Hearing aids are rarely covered by insurance, but I'm hopeful the new research will change that.

How A Banana Helped Me Understand Hearing Loss

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I turn 30 in one week, and I'm dedicating this one to the St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf.&nbsp;Max has been receiving speech therapy services from St. Joe for more than a year now, and there's no doubt that his weekly sessions are helping him learn to talk.One of the first questions that usually comes up about Max's hearing aids is how we discovered his hearing loss. The official diagnosis took a few months, but the delay allowed Travis and I time to process the complete shock on the day Max was born.Thankfully, newborn hearing screenings have been mandated in Indiana since 2000. Because it's just one of dozens of tests that newborns go through in the hospital (when everything is a blur anyway), a lot of parents don't give it much thought unless their child fails.When Max failed his first hearing test in the hospital, no one seemed too concerned. When he failed a second time, we were told it was probably fluid in his ears since he was delivered early due to my preeclampsia. I can't recall how many more times they attempted the test during our stay at the hospital, but we were sent home with a referral for diagnostic evaluation.Something that still bothers me to this day: When we received our referral, we were told that many parents actually end up skipping the follow-up testing because it's so expensive and it's usually just fluid in the ears that clears up.Both those points may be true, but shouldn’t be a factor in pursuing more evaluations. More than 70 percent of newborns who fail their screening in the hospital are ultimately identified with normal hearing in Indiana. And the testing IS expensive. When we booked Max for follow-up testing with an audiologist, we were required to sign a waiver to acknowledge that we would likely be responsible for $1,500+ because so few insurance carriers cover the necessary testing.It took us a few months to get scheduled for follow-up testing, which meant we spent a lot of time wondering whether those tests in the hospital were wrong. Max would startle easily when the dogs barked and seemed to follow our voices, so we almost considered blowing off the testing ourselves. Max literally woke up to the sound of Travis fluffing his pillow on from the other side of the house, but then he slept right through the ear-shattering alarm that we accidentally set off at my parent’s house. Even Max’s *former* pediatrician clapped her hands loudly and said “see, he can hear just fine” when he responded. We weren’t sure what to think, but soon discovered stats that that showed that without early intervention, kids with mild-moderate hearing loss will fall one to four grade levels behind their peers. The cost and hassle of testing suddenly seemed so small.Preparing for Max’s hearing test felt harder than any exam in school. Because they can’t really raise their right hand when they hear a beep in their right ear, infant hearing is tested using auditory brainstem response. Clicking sounds of various frequencies are sent through little baby earphones, and electrodes placed on the head (like the one in the picture) measure whether the brain is responding to the clicking. The kicker? ABR tests take 1-2 hours and can only be completed during a deep sleep. A newborn’s sleep schedule isn’t exactly predictable, so we were given a long list of instructions to make sure the test could be completed without sedation: Wake Max up early on test day, keep him busy all morning, don’t let him eat for 2-3 hours before the appointment, make sure someone rides in the back of the car with him on the way to the hospital to keep him awake. Somehow we managed to make it to the hospital and through the registration process with an infant who hadn’t eaten or slept for several hours.The testing room at the hospital is tiny, so only one of us was able to sit through the test with Max. I selflessly volunteered to snuggle my boy for 2 hours.The nice thing about ABR testing is that the results are immediate. After the test, the audiologist invited Travis back into the room and told us what she had found: Max has mild-moderate hearing loss in both ears. The loss is permanent and sensorineural (which means it is caused by a problem in the inner ear or auditory nerve rather than an issue with the structure of his ear). The audiologist was honest but kind as she told us that Max’s hearing won’t improve in the future, but there’s a chance that it could be progressive. She was generous with her time while she answered all of our questions and gave us easy ways to contact her if we thought of more after we left (and we definitely did).Within two months of that appointment, Max had his hearing aids. They don’t ‘fix’ his hearing and he’ll still encounter challenges with hearing, especially in environments with a lot of background noise, but they allow him to pick up on more of the speech sounds that he needs to develop language. We know they’re working because he is adding new words to his vocabulary weekly (although his favorite by far is still “ball”).We’ve had a few ABR tests since the first one and have now graduated to behavioral booth testing, where the audiologist plays a tone through earphones. If Max looks toward the sound, the audiologist rewards him by activating a light-up animatronic dog that is inside a box on the wall. After each tone, we refocus his attention to the front of the booth. We’ve been through enough sessions now that he is trained to look for the dog to light up when he hears the tone. The audiologist is able to measure his hearing based on if he turns his head to look for the dog or not.We’re still filling in the gaps of Max’s hearing chart so the audiologist can program his hearing aids perfectly, but his loss has remained in line with the original diagnosis for every test. Our newest challenge is that it’s hard to determine whether Max is not responding in the booth because his hearing has declined since his last appointment, or if he’s just being a stubborn toddler. We have an appointment tomorrow, so let’s hope he gets a kick out of that light-up dog in the booth (and doesn’t rip the earphones out a dozen times).&nbsp;The hearing loss diagnosis was an expensive and challenging process, but we're so grateful for early intervention and that our path led us to St. Joe! Max is all smiles on Wednesday mornings when he 'talks' to Ms. Colleen (even if he does try to hang up on her several times a session by closing the computer screen) during his speech therapy sessions.I would be so grateful if you would consider a donation to St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in honor of my birthday and/or Max. Thank you to my incredible friends and family who have already supported this organization that means so much to us!

Why I'm Dedicating This Birthday To The St. Joseph Institute For The Deaf

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One year ago marked the beginning of a week that was so intense and frightening that it still feels surreal.&nbsp;&nbsp; I returned home one evening with my daughter to find both the sunroom door and front door wide open. It seemed odd, but I knew my husband had been hanging out with friends earlier that day and I assumed one of them was just careless. I settled down on the couch to feed Mabel and started browsing my phone. My heart stopped when I saw a notification from the baby monitor in her nursery.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Motion was detected at 5:58 p.m., not long before I had returned home. I looked at the six-second clip that was captured, and saw a hand covering the lens of the monitor and pushing the camera down toward the shelf. Muffled footsteps can be heard walking away.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmichelle.sokol.7%2Fvideos%2F2262842917251692%2F%3Fidorvanity%3D107679094387&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="90%" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>&nbsp;I called 911, and dispatch advised us to evacuate immediately and lock myself in my car. Unmarked police cars surrounded our home within minutes, and I sat in the van and clutched my 1-year-old as my heart pounded, watching the officers search for the intruder.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; No one was found in the house that evening and nothing was taken – both a relief and a nightmare.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I experienced panic attacks in public over the next few days. My sleep was restless, and I spent most waking moments scanning the security footage our cameras had captured to look for clues.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At 2:39 a.m. on Dec. 1, I was again watching the footage when I heard a loud crash and knew someone was attempting to break into the back of the house. I called 911 while my husband shouted to let the burglars know we were awake and aware. I opened the security camera feed while I was on the phone with dispatch just in time to see a dark figure run off my property. Police arrived quickly, but found no suspects – only opened car doors around the neighborhood.&nbsp;&nbsp; My husband and I attempted to stay calm to avoid scaring our young children, but neither of us slept again that night. Our 3-year-old son was having trouble sleeping, too, but for a different reason: The flu.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We encouraged Max to rest and go back to sleep, but each time he tried he would become suddenly freeze with a look of terror on his face, unresponsive and inconsolable. These episodes would last a few minutes each, and then he would fall into a deep sleep for a few hours. We realized he was experiencing focal aware seizures and took him to the emergency room.&nbsp;The exhaustion was overwhelming. I hadn't slept since the burglary, and after spending hours in the emergency department, my need for rest was desperate. My mother-in-law, despite the risk of catching the flu from Max, came to help. I was able to drift off knowing Max and Mabel were safe with “Maw Maw”. I woke soon after to the sound of police outside, interviewing my mother-in-law about her car being broken into while she stood guard over us. It felt like a cruel, unending game – as we installed security at the front, the break-ins continued at the back. My world became a place of fear and paranoia.I couldn't even step outside during daylight without experiencing a panic attack. The world felt threatening, hostile, even as police officers parked their car for hours in the alley next to my house. Our only saving grace was the kindness of our neighbors, who texted with offers to watch our house while we slept or start a parole. One neighbor was walking her dog when she saw someone rummaging through our car in the driveway (we had removed valuables and kept it unlocked intentionally, not wanting to deal with broken glass). She hid behind a tree and called the police for us.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; While that week felt like a lifetime, the fear and panic disappeared in an instant. My husband and I were leaving our house in daylight when we noticed a bike sitting on our lawn. We looked down our driveway and saw someone in our car. My husband instructed me to go back into the house and lock the doors. I texted my neighbor, joking about stealing the bike as payback, but my husband took another approach: he chose compassion.&nbsp;&nbsp; I watched as a young boy – not older than 13 – raced to his bike and took off down the street. My husband called after him: “Hey! Do you need something? Can I help you?” The boy stopped and cautiously returned. Seeing the young boy respond to my husband's offer to help, my fear was replaced by a deep sadness.The revelation that the perpetrator was a young boy with a traumatic past shifted something in me. It wasn't just about our family's experience anymore. Watching my husband talk to him with empathy, I saw the situation through a different lens. The boy’s actions, once so threatening, now seemed like a cry for help.This experience led me to think about restorative justice and its potential to change the trajectory of juvenile offenders. The traditional punitive system often fails to address the underlying issues that lead youths to commit crimes. Instead, a restorative approach can offer a path to rehabilitation, focusing on healing for both the victim and the offender. In the case of this boy, understanding his background and the hardships he faced, it became clear that what he needed was guidance and support, not punishment.Our community's response was heartening. Neighbors sought to understand and help rather than seek retribution. This approach reflects a belief in the possibility of change and the value of addressing root causes over punitive measures.Though the fear and anxiety from that time still visit me, we have not experienced any break-ins or thefts since that conversation. The way this situation unfolded has given me a new perspective on how we handle juvenile crime. The idea that empathy and support can redirect a young person’s life is powerful. I hope that the boy who once caused us so much distress finds a path to a better future, one where his past doesn't dictate his potential.

One week of fear and a lifetime of compassion

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When Mabel came home from the hospital, Travis and I would joke that we needed signs on the doors, reminders to ourselves: "DON'T FORGET BABY." As long as her diaper was dry and her belly full, she'd go hours without a sound. Despite her older brother creating the chaos only a toddler can imagine, we never forgot her.As Mabel grew into her personality, her easygoing nature persisted. Her smile was a constant, and strangers often asked if she ever stopped. Only one thing can silence her giggles: doors.No matter what she's doing – pulling baby wipes one-by-one from the pack we forgot to put out of reach or wandering around sending nonsensical texts to random numbers in my contacts – the sound of a door sliding shut sends her into meltdown. A closed door is a personal affront. It's her call to action, her mission to find a way through.I heard a scream one day and raced to find Mabel shoving her head through a crack in the closet door to reach her toys. Another time, she wailed in frustration at a Little People nursery toy, determined to fit through an opening that was just too small. She sobbed as she stood in front of the sliding glass door, which I had quickly closed behind the dogs as they went to the bathroom in subzero temperatures.When I walked into the bathroom this morning, and Mabel started to yell, I groaned and wished for a moment of silence on the toilet. But as much as I dread the tears that come each time I leave a room, I've come to see her contempt for doors as something to celebrate.I wish I could offer her a world with doors always open to opportunity, with chairs pulled up to any table, spaces waiting for her to explore. But it's better to prepare her for reality, where she might find locked doors blocking her path.I have encountered many of those locked doors along my own journey, both in my professional and personal life, and becoming a mother has given me a new sense of determination to break through them.Before starting my current position at <a href="https://www.charterup.com">CharterUP</a>, I formed my own LLC and worked as an independent contractor for dozens of clients across the country. I had recently read <a href="https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/a-male-and-female-worker-switched-names-for-a-week-heres-how-clients-treated-the.html">an article in Inc. about how a woman and man switched email signatures for a week and were treated entirely differently by their clients</a>. Since I dreaded sending invoices to collect payment anyway, I decided to test their theory. I created an email alias for “Michael in billing” to send payment reminders, and found that clients paid their balances 27 percent faster and never questioned the line items on the invoice.&nbsp; I tested the same theory when I needed help from tech support for a service like web hosting or domain management. When I entered a male name instead of my own into the chat form, I no longer had to assure the tech support that I had already tried the suggested troubleshooting steps. It saved me a solid 10 or 15 minutes with each request.A few years ago, I hired a CPA to prepare my business and personal tax returns. During a meeting, I shared that I planned to convert a detached structure on my property into an office and asked about any tax incentives I might qualify for. He advised against my plan – not because of financial considerations, but because I would be too far away from my children if my office was not located inside my home. I wrote the CPA a letter terminating his service, and asked him to consider whether he would ever make the same statement to a male business owner.Last year, when I brought my child to the hospital for a sudden fever and severe abdominal pain, the emergency room doctor refused to answer my questions or provide additional information. When I asked a final time for any guidance he could provide, he told me that it was clear I did not understand his medical opinion and that his only option was to repeat the information to my husband who had joined me at the hospital.My experiences are trivial compared to the blatant sexism and discrimination that some women still face, but they still remind me to do everything my power to teach my children kindness, courage and confidence.Although I still need to shut doors in my home and keep baby gates locked – my son already taught me what kind of damage can happen when a toddler has a moment alone in a bathroom – I hope that Mabel never stops putting up a fight.

When One Door Closes: A Celebration Of Mabel's Headstrong Determination

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Max started riding the school bus to an elementary school when he was just 3 years old to attend a preschool for speech and language development.My husband and I joked that the transition to kindergarten wouldn’t phase us, since we’d be veterans at school transitions.But then the kindergarten registration postcard arrived in the mail. And a few weeks later, I received a call from the district’s deaf and hard of hearing coordinator to talk about Max and his accommodations. I avoided her call for a week.I’ve never experienced hearing loss, and my son has never been to kindergarten. How was I supposed to know what kind of accommodations he would need?Hearing loss in children, if not identified at birth through screening programs, can often remain unnoticed until they reach elementary school. The reasons for this are deeply rooted in the nature of early childhood education environments, particularly those of preschool and prekindergarten, and the developmental milestones expected at these stages.Preschool settings are heavily centered around play, a universal language that transcends verbal communication. Activities are designed to be inclusive, fostering social, emotional and cognitive development through interaction with peers and the physical environment. Children can develop non-verbal cues to engage and learn, subtly sidestepping the hurdles of their hearing impairments.However, the leap to kindergarten introduces a different environment, one based on structure and oral instruction. Suddenly, the reliance on listening and verbal communication jumps to the forefront, and the coping mechanisms that once served children well may falter in this new setting.This is why it is so difficult to predict the accommodations that will be necessary following major transitions like the one from preschool to kindergarten: Success in a playful, relaxed setting doesn’t necessarily translate to a structured classroom where listening takes center stage.When I finally returned the call to the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator, she asked me to sign a medical release so she could review his records and speak with his audiologist to anticipate what supports he will need when he starts kindergarten in the fall.I told her I appreciated the proactive approach, but I wanted assurance that there would be reactive components to his IEP, also. The path of advocating for Max through his educational journey looms ahead, yet I’m comforted knowing we have allies within the school district and the broader hearing loss community.But perhaps the most poignant reminder of our greatest ally came unexpectedly from Max himself. &nbsp;I don’t remember the question Max asked or what my answer was, but I do remember that I was responding with my back turned to him while multitasking.“Mommy, I need you to look at me and say it louder.”He said it with such conviction that it startled me. And it made me more proud than any other moment in my life.Navigating this journey with Max, we’re learning together — about the accommodations he needs and the strength of his voice.

Say It Louder: Navigating The Transition To Kindergarten With Hearing Loss

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Just as Borrow, an electric vehicle subscription service, was preparing to scale, the start-ups CPAs started soaring.Before the start-up's founders could bring their product to investors, they needed to bring ad costs back into check so they had numbers to back up their vision.We used an agile sprint campaign to test messaging while also improving other areas of the funnel, particularly landing pages and lead follow-ups.

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Airbnb has created more entrepreneurs than any other online marketplace, putting financial freedom within reach of anyone with a spare bedroom.But in a competitive space, scaling a short-term rental side-gig into a six-figure income has become difficult without professional tools and guidance. That's why Futurestay has set out to connect ‘rentalpreneurs’ with technology that makes it easy to go from first property to financial freedom. The all-in-one short-term rental management platform automates the manual processes and helps managers boost occupancy and earn more money.&nbsp; When Listen Up Creative started working with Futurestay in early 2021, the company was preparing for a period of rapid growth. Before embarking on its Series A funding effort, Futurestay needed to clarify its message and create content that would resonate with the rentalpreneurs of the world.

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