Miss-Delectable
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Deaf high school senior shares special bond with interpreter
Years and years of hard work will pay off over the next couple of days as graduation ceremonies for many high schools are coming up, and no doubt they will take what they've learned with them. But it's often the friendships they will cherish most, but East Tennessee senior Caleb Hinton is taking lessons learned from one of the most unique friendships of all as he goes out into the “real world.”
Caleb walks down the halls of Powell High School for one of the last times, and reflects back on the fun and friendships he’s made. There is one person, more than anyone else, who stands out.
It’s not a fellow student, or even a teacher. It’s his interpreter Lilli Brown.
Caleb says, “A lot of energy, fun, hyper, and always really happy."
Caleb was born deaf, and his parents made the decision early to go mainstream by putting him in public schools from day one.
Day one is when he met the lady he now considers part of his family.
Caleb says, "She is like my best friend. We are everywhere together"
Part of the reason Caleb and Lilli are so close is that, aside from high school, they have been a team during Caleb’s entire time in Knox County Schools.
Lilli says, "First time I met Caleb he was at South Knox Elemenatry, and in kindergarten, he was the sweetest, bright eyed, blue eyed kid, always happy."
Without Lilli, Caleb wouldn’t have the ears to learn the material that has led him to graduate with a 3.8 GPA.
Caleb certainly has met challenges, but getting him here wasn’t an easy road for Lilli, either.
"It's like going back to school myself, because Caleb is very very smart. So he takes all these hard classes, which means I have to study myself."
But their bond goes much further than the classroom to a place Lilli actually feels a little more at home – The football field. Meet Coach Lilli.
"My dad was a coach at Alcoa in the 50s and 60s…Sometimes I'm like, ‘that play isn't working very well.’”
Caleb says, “I remember one time at practice she was standing in the huddle and coach was yelling so loud, I told her I can hear his voice! She told coach, and we all laughed so hard."
Aside from outside on the field and inside the classroom, Lilli also gets to serve as a social networker from time to time.
“I interpreted when he asked this girl to the prom. She was like yeah, and her eyes lit up."
It is an inseparable bond, and a friendship that will persevere. Despite a brief goodbye, it certainly won’t be the end.
Lilli says, "I've been with him for so long. It's gotta be great. I'm happy for him, but sad at the same time."
Caleb says, "I'll miss her. I'll never forget this school…and Lilli."
Caleb graduates Saturday, and will head to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. where he received a football scholarship.
Lilli will change schools, but she will continue to be an interpreter for Knox County.
Years and years of hard work will pay off over the next couple of days as graduation ceremonies for many high schools are coming up, and no doubt they will take what they've learned with them. But it's often the friendships they will cherish most, but East Tennessee senior Caleb Hinton is taking lessons learned from one of the most unique friendships of all as he goes out into the “real world.”
Caleb walks down the halls of Powell High School for one of the last times, and reflects back on the fun and friendships he’s made. There is one person, more than anyone else, who stands out.
It’s not a fellow student, or even a teacher. It’s his interpreter Lilli Brown.
Caleb says, “A lot of energy, fun, hyper, and always really happy."
Caleb was born deaf, and his parents made the decision early to go mainstream by putting him in public schools from day one.
Day one is when he met the lady he now considers part of his family.
Caleb says, "She is like my best friend. We are everywhere together"
Part of the reason Caleb and Lilli are so close is that, aside from high school, they have been a team during Caleb’s entire time in Knox County Schools.
Lilli says, "First time I met Caleb he was at South Knox Elemenatry, and in kindergarten, he was the sweetest, bright eyed, blue eyed kid, always happy."
Without Lilli, Caleb wouldn’t have the ears to learn the material that has led him to graduate with a 3.8 GPA.
Caleb certainly has met challenges, but getting him here wasn’t an easy road for Lilli, either.
"It's like going back to school myself, because Caleb is very very smart. So he takes all these hard classes, which means I have to study myself."
But their bond goes much further than the classroom to a place Lilli actually feels a little more at home – The football field. Meet Coach Lilli.
"My dad was a coach at Alcoa in the 50s and 60s…Sometimes I'm like, ‘that play isn't working very well.’”
Caleb says, “I remember one time at practice she was standing in the huddle and coach was yelling so loud, I told her I can hear his voice! She told coach, and we all laughed so hard."
Aside from outside on the field and inside the classroom, Lilli also gets to serve as a social networker from time to time.
“I interpreted when he asked this girl to the prom. She was like yeah, and her eyes lit up."
It is an inseparable bond, and a friendship that will persevere. Despite a brief goodbye, it certainly won’t be the end.
Lilli says, "I've been with him for so long. It's gotta be great. I'm happy for him, but sad at the same time."
Caleb says, "I'll miss her. I'll never forget this school…and Lilli."
Caleb graduates Saturday, and will head to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. where he received a football scholarship.
Lilli will change schools, but she will continue to be an interpreter for Knox County.