PRESS RELEASE
Mat-Su Sertoma Club’s annual scholarship season is in full swing! There are three scholarship categories: Summer Camp, International Studies and University. Two of the scholarships are still open for application.
This year, the Club is excited to announce Noah White as the successful recipient of the 2018 Summer Camp Scholarship. Noah is a sophomore at Colony High School and is on the wrestling team. He loves mountain biking, four-wheeling, music and anything athletic! Mat-Su Sertoma Club covers the cost of the camp session and airfare.
At birth, Noah had normal hearing. However, he began losing his hearing sometime after his 1st birthday. At age 3, he was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss – the ski slope form (from developing PPHN after delivery). He is deaf at high frequency, but has almost normal hearing at low frequency.
The family moved from Wasilla to St. Louis when Noah was 5 years old to enroll him in a deaf oral school. There he received direct teaching, language processing training and attended private schools through the 9th grade.
The family always wanted to come “home”, and moved back to Alaska this fall.
Noah is thrilled to be in Alaska, and is very active. Music is one of his favorite things, and he is self-taught on the piano, guitar and drums.
Noah wrote an essay, “What is important about your identity as a deaf or hard of hearing person in a diverse world?” He has a desire to help bring understanding to those around who are not hearing impaired. Through a lack of understanding, people are fearful; and only through self-acceptance, has he been able overcome challenges that he has faced.
The Mat-Su Sertoma Club was founded in 2009. Many Valley residents are familiar with the annual event that we coordinate – The Mat-Su Plunge “The Original Valley Dip!”. The Plunge is scheduled for February 17, 2018 at the Mat-Su Resort/Everett’s, and is one of the Valley’s great winter events to attend. Registration is now open! Come support Noah for the trip of a lifetime! Check out all of Mat-Su Sertoma Club’s events and activities at www.matsuhearing.org.
