Miss-Delectable
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Rome News - Tribune
After attending Georgia School for the Deaf for years, Cody Neighbors switched to a regular school for high school despite being profoundly deaf.
“At the time, I realized I wanted more of a challenge and asked my parents if I could go to Coosa (High),” said Neighbors, through his interpreter Michele Mattos, who helped him communicate the past four years. “I was at GSD for 12 years — I started at three until I came here.”
Neighbors said the decision was not easy.
“Freshman year, it was tough because it was so different,” he said. “But I used it to motivate me and I’m used to it now — it’s easier. I wanted to be more challenged and my English was weak and it has improved so I can get into college.
“At first I felt overwhelmed because I’m not used to so many people not talking in sign,” said Neighbors, who picked Coosa because he knew people there, even though he lives in Shannon. “A couple did sign a little, but I’m really proud of myself for being successful in public school.”
He played on the football team except for his senior year because of knee surgery and also was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“In my freshman year, I played JV and it was hard to communicate because I wasn’t used to it, but if I didn’t know the plays, we made up signs for plays,” he said, “and communication got better, easier. I had to pay attention more and be aware of what was going on on the field and off.”
He was also a peer helper in special education classes at Coosa High.
“I’d go help them move kids around and do different activities,” he said. “I like to be around them and make them feel better.”
Despite heavy immersement in school culture, he said, his greatest struggle was English classes.
“I made mistakes and really had to follow English order to do everything right,” said Neighbors, explaining that American Sign Language doesn’t follow exact word order.
This fall, he heads to Galludet University in Washington, D.C., a college for hearing-impaired students.
“I was worried they wouldn’t accept me, but I was so excited because I want to go so bad,” said Neighbors. “My parents are proud but worried because I’m going far from home. I am just motivated and excited.”
After attending Georgia School for the Deaf for years, Cody Neighbors switched to a regular school for high school despite being profoundly deaf.
“At the time, I realized I wanted more of a challenge and asked my parents if I could go to Coosa (High),” said Neighbors, through his interpreter Michele Mattos, who helped him communicate the past four years. “I was at GSD for 12 years — I started at three until I came here.”
Neighbors said the decision was not easy.
“Freshman year, it was tough because it was so different,” he said. “But I used it to motivate me and I’m used to it now — it’s easier. I wanted to be more challenged and my English was weak and it has improved so I can get into college.
“At first I felt overwhelmed because I’m not used to so many people not talking in sign,” said Neighbors, who picked Coosa because he knew people there, even though he lives in Shannon. “A couple did sign a little, but I’m really proud of myself for being successful in public school.”
He played on the football team except for his senior year because of knee surgery and also was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“In my freshman year, I played JV and it was hard to communicate because I wasn’t used to it, but if I didn’t know the plays, we made up signs for plays,” he said, “and communication got better, easier. I had to pay attention more and be aware of what was going on on the field and off.”
He was also a peer helper in special education classes at Coosa High.
“I’d go help them move kids around and do different activities,” he said. “I like to be around them and make them feel better.”
Despite heavy immersement in school culture, he said, his greatest struggle was English classes.
“I made mistakes and really had to follow English order to do everything right,” said Neighbors, explaining that American Sign Language doesn’t follow exact word order.
This fall, he heads to Galludet University in Washington, D.C., a college for hearing-impaired students.
“I was worried they wouldn’t accept me, but I was so excited because I want to go so bad,” said Neighbors. “My parents are proud but worried because I’m going far from home. I am just motivated and excited.”