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READ OUR WINTER HLAA - WISCONSIN NEWSLETTER, CLICK HERE! 
Every day is world hearing day to HLAA, but March 3rd is the day we share our message of hearing health with the rest of the world. Our new Hearing Loss Toolkit is now live, with shareable resources to help people get crucial information all in one place. Check it out and share with family and friends today. You can use the attached graphic to post or you can also visit HLAA’s social media channels and share our WHD posts, starting Monday, March 3. Stay tuned for more promotion opportunities. See our latest press release for more information.Exciting Scholarship Announcements! Announcing multiple scholarships available for hard of hearing students who use
technology to participate in the hearing mainstream! They’re similar, but each have slightly different parameters/geographical area, so read carefully to determine which to apply for: TWO HLAA scholarships, both have a deadline of March 31. We ask that the recipients participate some way in the HLAA mission. Apply now at: https://www.hlaawi.org/college-scholarships.html 1. HLAA Wisconsin offers a $1,000 scholarship for a high school senior with hearing loss who resides in the state of Wisconsin. 2. HLAA Fox Valley Chapter offers a $1,500 scholarship to a student with hearing loss, as a high school senior or college student who is in the first two years of college. Applicants must be from the geographical region HLAA Fox Valley serves, including Green Bay, Fond du lac and central Wisconsin. The Margaret Ferris scholarship through the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley region is for hard of hearing students who have a significant hearing loss and use technology to participate in the hearing world; Graduating high school seniors from a public or parochial high school in Calumet, Outagamie, or Winnebago counties; Planning to pursue post-secondary education at an accredited college, university, or technical college as a full-time student. Deadline is March 1st. Read one scholarship recipient’s story below: My name is Gabriella, and I’m incredibly grateful to be a recipient of the HLAAWI scholarship. Thanks to this support, I am attending Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, studying Biology and Spanish on a pre-med track. My coursework includes calculus, chemistry, Spanish, and international relations. I’m also involved in several student organizations, including the Basketball Band (where I play trombone) and Globe Med, and I work as an assistant preschool educator in Chicago. I got my first hearing aids at twelve. I have moderately severe reverse slope hearing loss in my left ear and mild hearing loss in my right. Reverse slope hearing loss means the most significant loss occurs in the mid to low frequencies. As a result, I struggle to hear male voices, vowels, car engines, thunder, and announcements, while sounds like birds chirping and leaves rustling come through clearly. It might seem strange, but this is my reality. The school has been aware of my hearing loss since before I was accepted. As part of my college applications to Northwestern, I wrote an essay on my identity as a hard-of-hearing young adult. The accommodations department, AccessibleNU, and my professors have been great about ensuring my academic success. Accommodations include captions, lecture recording software, priority seating at the front of classrooms, priority registration, and testing accommodations, particularly in language courses. These adjustments make all the difference in my ability to engage fully in my academic and extracurricular life. I'm excited to continue pursuing my academic and personal goals, and I look forward to fostering meaningful connections between the Northwestern and hard-of-hearing communities. Be sure to apply for these scholarships well in advance of the deadlines, don’t wait till the last minute! Email [email protected] with any questions. |
Hold the Date! The Wisconsin Walk4Hearing is scheduled for June 8, 2025, at Olin Park in Madison. Please consider participating in this walk, joining in on the fun, and support HLAA. Check here for more details.Get Revved Up for the 2025 HLAA National ConventionStart your engines and join us at HLAA’s 40th annual convention, June 11-14, 2025, in
Indianapolis, IN—home of the famous Indy 500 automobile race. This annual event brings together hundreds of people with hearing loss from around the U.S. to learn, discover, and connect. Check out the latest technology and hear from health and industry experts during a series of empowering events designed to help you live your best life with hearing loss. A Limited Number of STIPENDS Available – Consider Applying HLAAWI will offer a few stipends to help our members defray costs to attend the national convention. Apply by March 10th at this link. First-time attendees may also apply for a scholarship offered by National HLAA (www.hearingloss.org). It’s in ‘our neck of the woods,’ so it’s possible to save costs by room-sharing and carpooling rather than flying. If you plan to go, let us know. Connect at: [email protected] if questions. HLAA conventions are well worth the money spent to attend, learn, and meet people from all around the country! NOTE: Stipends are paid after the convention. Registration is now open for the Convention, so reserve your place today. Early bird pricing is available until March 14: Individual – $425 Couple – $725 Student – $175 Day Rate – $200 Research Symposium Only – $25 |
Here are some of the attendees from the WI State HLAA annual meeting, we didn't get everyone in the pictures.
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Shine New Light on Hearing Loss
Wisconsin Hearing Loss Association of America Educational Conference April 26 & 27
Bordini Center in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Many thanks to the Fox Valley HLAA Chapter for hosting and organizing this amazing event. From start to finish, the conference was not only very educational with up to date information, it provided many opportunities for attendees to socialize and connect with one another. The food was great, the atmosphere was friendly, the exhibit hall was engaging, accessibility (looped meeting room, CART captioning) was paramount, and the speakers were world class!
Bordini Center in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Many thanks to the Fox Valley HLAA Chapter for hosting and organizing this amazing event. From start to finish, the conference was not only very educational with up to date information, it provided many opportunities for attendees to socialize and connect with one another. The food was great, the atmosphere was friendly, the exhibit hall was engaging, accessibility (looped meeting room, CART captioning) was paramount, and the speakers were world class!
There were 4 fun fundraising events that contributed more cash to the scholarship funds: the 50/50 raffle run by Jack and Debbie Spear, the bucket raffle (organized by Julie Olson and Christine Otte AuD, run by Kirsten Schubbe and Karen Kasten) with multiple generous donations of beautiful baskets, a raffle for a Packer helmet (donated by the Packers–thanks to Michelle Frisbie’s efforts), and a raffle for a Packer jersey (donated by Michelle Frisbie).
At the conference, several experts shared valuable insights on enhancing communication accessibility, particularly within the healthcare sector. Derrick Coleman, a former NFL player and advocate for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community, delivered an inspiring talk on overcoming obstacles. Dr. Nicholas Reed from Johns Hopkins underscored the critical link between hearing, health, and healthcare, emphasizing the repercussions of untreated hearing loss. Dr. Tina Childress delved deep into the realm of hearing assistive technology, shedding light on innovative solutions to overcome communication barriers. Dr. Ruth Litovsky emphasized the increasing prevalence of hearing loss globally and highlighted cochlear implants as transformative solutions, even for single-sided deafness and moderately severe hearing loss cases. Jim Rau, Dr. Tina Childress, and Robin Jones discussed challenges and opportunities, touching on personal experiences, legal frameworks, and practical strategies for advocacy. Overall, the conference provided a comprehensive exploration of communication access and its vital role in healthcare.
At the conference, several experts shared valuable insights on enhancing communication accessibility, particularly within the healthcare sector. Derrick Coleman, a former NFL player and advocate for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community, delivered an inspiring talk on overcoming obstacles. Dr. Nicholas Reed from Johns Hopkins underscored the critical link between hearing, health, and healthcare, emphasizing the repercussions of untreated hearing loss. Dr. Tina Childress delved deep into the realm of hearing assistive technology, shedding light on innovative solutions to overcome communication barriers. Dr. Ruth Litovsky emphasized the increasing prevalence of hearing loss globally and highlighted cochlear implants as transformative solutions, even for single-sided deafness and moderately severe hearing loss cases. Jim Rau, Dr. Tina Childress, and Robin Jones discussed challenges and opportunities, touching on personal experiences, legal frameworks, and practical strategies for advocacy. Overall, the conference provided a comprehensive exploration of communication access and its vital role in healthcare.
Please enjoy these Conference Documentations by Katherine Rybak
Christine Klessig, Michelle Frisbie, Julie Olson, members of the FVC chaired this years conference.
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Scholarship winner who was in attendance is Kenny Kaiser.
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50/50, bucket and Packer Helmet raffles.
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SW Wisconsin Educators
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Derrick Coleman from the Packer Staff with the Olson family
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President Kathy Johnson with Dr. Reed.
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Dr. Tina Childress
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Dr. Litosky
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Dr. Reed
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Click on this link to read our Fall 2024 HLAA-Wisconsin newsletter.
COCHLEAR IMPLANT SUPPORT WITH ACI ALLIANCE
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The American Cochlear Implant Alliance is a not-for-profit membership organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for patients of all ages across the US.
To sign up for the newsletter, visit this site:https://www.acialliance.org/general/?type=listening |
The Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Wisconsin is showcasing examples of different assistive devices that Deaf and hard of hearing consumers can use in their everyday lives within their own home. Check out the video below!
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