One of the things that I have noticed growing up is the many misconceptions people have about deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Often, when common ground and a shared sense of understanding are found, kids like my brother begin to be able to live a life that every single child should be entitled to: a life free of bullying and judgment. As I got older, I realized that I wanted to make a difference in the lives of families like mine and make education accessible and enjoyable for kids with this disability. There are so many things that people without DHH experience would never understand or even think of, and I know that I can help prevent this through my organization. 

For those who may not know us, I (Dane) am the one in my trademark visor, and my brother Nolan is the one in the green golf shirt and white hat. We live in Western Wisconsin and attend school together in St.Paul.  In our free time, we both enjoy playing / watching sports, serving at the local food shelf, and spending time with family and friends. 

Although it is often overlooked, there are many disabilities that result from hearing loss. In Nolan's case, it resulted in delayed language development, sensory issues, eating disorders, and motor impairment. As a result, we spent countless hours at therapy sessions and put a tremendous amount of work into things that are so often taken for granted, like learning to talk. This is something that I strongly feel needs to be advocated for. When peers, teachers, and coaches begin to understand a disability, it results in an improved environment for everybody involved. Nolan's condition, auditory neuropathy, was just the start of many others, and I hope to bring awareness and understanding to situations that he struggled with so that other kids like him may not.