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A Plus 2/14/08: Horace Mann School For The Deaf's Natalie Bellevue - Station News Story - WCVB Boston
Every two weeks, NewsCenter 5 presents a high school senior who has taken the lessons of the classroom and applied them to life.
This week's A Plus student is Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing's Natalie Bellevue.
NewsCenter 5's Shiba Russell reported that Bellevue was born deaf to hearing, French-speaking parents.
"I think at first being a deaf child, she realized that she wasn't part of a conversation of hearing people and was kind of a little shy and a little reticent," said program coordinator Ann Caputo Kirby.
At age three, Bellevue enrolled at Horace Mann in Boston where she learned American Sign Language; armed with a means to communicate and a desire to achieve, she has become a stand-out student.
"She feels confident in who she is. A young, deaf woman," said Kirby.
Bellevue, 19, captains her school's academic bowl team and helped pioneer a program where deaf students take classes with the hearing.
"The teacher helps me because she writes a lot on the board and the interpreters make sure that I'm getting all the information that's being said," said Bellevue.
"She's really blossomed ... she's become very confident and very proud of who she is," said teacher Diane Simon.
Bellevue hopes her confidence is contagious. Her younger sister, Kathy, is also deaf.
"I want to go to college and I want her to see that she can do it too," said Bellevue.
Bellevue enjoys taking part in the unexpected, like playing the drums.
"It doesn't matter that I can't hear it. I can feel it," said Bellevue.
"Kids want to be around her because they know that she is a positive influence, because she works hard," said Kirby.
"Natalie is the teacher. She is the reminder to all of us that we have this ability. If something comes our way, we look at our strengths. Hey, I'm gonna go for it," said principal Jeremiah Ford.
Every two weeks, NewsCenter 5 presents a high school senior who has taken the lessons of the classroom and applied them to life.
This week's A Plus student is Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing's Natalie Bellevue.
NewsCenter 5's Shiba Russell reported that Bellevue was born deaf to hearing, French-speaking parents.
"I think at first being a deaf child, she realized that she wasn't part of a conversation of hearing people and was kind of a little shy and a little reticent," said program coordinator Ann Caputo Kirby.
At age three, Bellevue enrolled at Horace Mann in Boston where she learned American Sign Language; armed with a means to communicate and a desire to achieve, she has become a stand-out student.
"She feels confident in who she is. A young, deaf woman," said Kirby.
Bellevue, 19, captains her school's academic bowl team and helped pioneer a program where deaf students take classes with the hearing.
"The teacher helps me because she writes a lot on the board and the interpreters make sure that I'm getting all the information that's being said," said Bellevue.
"She's really blossomed ... she's become very confident and very proud of who she is," said teacher Diane Simon.
Bellevue hopes her confidence is contagious. Her younger sister, Kathy, is also deaf.
"I want to go to college and I want her to see that she can do it too," said Bellevue.
Bellevue enjoys taking part in the unexpected, like playing the drums.
"It doesn't matter that I can't hear it. I can feel it," said Bellevue.
"Kids want to be around her because they know that she is a positive influence, because she works hard," said Kirby.
"Natalie is the teacher. She is the reminder to all of us that we have this ability. If something comes our way, we look at our strengths. Hey, I'm gonna go for it," said principal Jeremiah Ford.
