2008-2009 Fellows: Valerie DiTommaso
My name is Valerie DiTommaso. Born and raised in Monaca, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I am a 2007 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) with a degree in the Education of Students who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and Elementary Education. My job has brought me out to central Pennsylvania in the lovely town of York. I started my career working as an itinerant teacher serving students who were deaf and hard-of-hearing. Currently, I am a team leader for a deaf-blind resource room. I work daily with students who are deaf-blind as well as coordinate with three paraprofessionals. I manage a school team of nine members (Vision/O&M specialist, OT, PT, Speech therapist, two regular education teachers, two interveners, and a teacher assistant) and facilitate weekly school team meetings. I'm always looking to further my education in deaf-blindness. I'm working towards gaining certification in the education of students who are deaf-blind through the East Carolina University certificate program.
I enjoy working with the deaf and deaf-blind community. Monthly, I participate as well as help in organizing a social event for people in the community who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. This summer, I helped start up a deaf-blind social group in my community. This has given me the opportunity to meet and interact with people with various degrees of deaf-blindness. I also serve in the deaf ministry at my local church where I aid in interpreting the service. Through this experience, I've had the opportunity to interpret as well as serve as a guide for Andy, a gentleman who is deaf-blind. He has since become an inspiration to me as well as a great friend.
Helen Keller once said, "There is one thing worse than not being able to see: being able to see, but having no vision." When I started college six years ago, working with children who are deaf-blind was not part of my vision. In fact, communicating with a person with deaf-blindness had been one of my biggest fears. My first experience with a person who was deaf-blind completely changed my perspective, and now working with children who are deaf-blind has become one of my greatest passions.
My vision in touching the lives of students who are deaf-blind the way Annie
Sullivan touched the life of Helen Keller has only begun. I'm eager to continue in the pursuit of advancing the field of deaf-blindness as my career progresses. I hope to be as much of an inspiration to my students as they are to me.
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart." ~ Helen Keller