Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Student to compete in Miss Deaf Texas pageant
Michelle Benjamin’s eyes catch everything.
Whether it’s the glances or awkward grimace between people trying to help her understand a question, Benjamin’s eyes catch everything.
They’ve had to for five years.The business administration graduate student became completely deaf in 2006.
“To me, it was just a shock,” she said. “If I had to use the term normal, I guess I would have to say I was knocked down to it when I lost my hearing.”
Now, she is learning to embrace herself as she represents Miss Deaf Arlington 2011 Tuesday through July 23 at the Miss Deaf Texas pageant in Cypress, Texas. But she’s having trouble finding a sponsor to support her trip.
She was pronounced Miss Deaf Arlington after filling out an application and having an online interview.
“I want to be Miss Deaf Texas because I believe I am a good example of how to achieve your dream despite having a disability,” she said.
Benjamin lived in Georgia when she began to lose her hearing in April 2006. By February 2007, she couldn’t speak on the phone.
With no history of hearing loss in her family, doctors couldn’t figure out how it happened, she said. Seven different doctors told her seven different opinions. She transferred to UTA to live closer to family and get the help she needed.
“No one knew I was deaf for a year until I told my mom,” she said. “I tried not to speak. So communication was minimal. People just assumed I was shy, so they left me alone. All I had was lip and body reading.”
Brannon Sledge, her best friend and graduate student at Prairie View A&M University, said Benjamin was already going deaf when they met.
“If you didn’t know she was deaf, then you couldn’t really even tell in conversation,” he said. “The worst part of her adjusting was all when it started happening to her, because it was like something that we take for granted was pulled away from her.”
Benjamin, 26, said she couldn’t do anything she used to do. She couldn’t be as social as she was before.
“I had to give up a job and two internships because when I lost my hearing, my grades were affected. I went from a 3.0 [grade-point average] to a 1.7 in a year,” she said. “I put it to the equivalent of someone who got into a car accident and lost their legs. If you’re a track runner, that’s devastating to you.
My whole world revolved around hearing.”
But in 2009, she said she heard the sound of water rushing and birds chirping again, thanks to a cochlear implant — a small, electronic device that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin to help give a representation of sounds.
“The day they turned it on, they had this big fish tank in the office. It had running water,” she said. “I was like, ‘What is that?’ It didn’t sound like water at all. It sounded like someone was playing with newspaper or something.”
Now, she is getting the hang of talking on the phone again. She said doctors told her what takes most cochlear implant patients about 2 years, she’s managed to accomplish in 6 months.
But graphic design junior Shaquita Benjamin, Michelle Benjamin’s sister, said she still has difficulty communicating with Michelle Benjamin.
“Sometimes, her hearing device is off or turned down low and I can not get her attention,” Shaquita Benjamin said. “Or, if I am trying to talk to her, she might not fully comprehend or even hear me at all.”
Both Sledge and Shaquita Benhamin said they’re proud of Michelle Benjamin for how she’s adjusted to her impairment.
“She decided to not let that stop her and continue to strive even more to accomplish her goals. She has become an even stronger person as a result of that,” Sledge said.
Michelle Benjamin, business administration graduate student, is one of them.
Established in 1976 in Las Colinas, this will be the pageant’s 35th year, said Amanda Tuite, Miss Deaf Texas director.
“How is Miss Deaf Texas different than Miss Texas? We have deaf contestants, of course,” Tuite said. “Their speech will be presented in American Sign Language. The girls are not judged based on beauty, but their talent, intelligence, clarity and poise. Miss Deaf Texas does not have a swimsuit competition.”
While there, Benjamin will represent education with disability during the speech part of the competition.
“I’m going to give a brief presentation on what it’s like from the point of view of a student, because I don’t think many people realize how hard it is,” Benjamin said.
The contestants will have some time Tuesday through July 23 before the pageant to attend workshops, public and private events, and develop new friendships, Tuite said. The winner of the pageant receives a $1,000 scholarship and will compete for Miss Deaf America in Kentucky in summer 2012.
Michelle Benjamin’s eyes catch everything.
Whether it’s the glances or awkward grimace between people trying to help her understand a question, Benjamin’s eyes catch everything.
They’ve had to for five years.The business administration graduate student became completely deaf in 2006.
“To me, it was just a shock,” she said. “If I had to use the term normal, I guess I would have to say I was knocked down to it when I lost my hearing.”
Now, she is learning to embrace herself as she represents Miss Deaf Arlington 2011 Tuesday through July 23 at the Miss Deaf Texas pageant in Cypress, Texas. But she’s having trouble finding a sponsor to support her trip.
She was pronounced Miss Deaf Arlington after filling out an application and having an online interview.
“I want to be Miss Deaf Texas because I believe I am a good example of how to achieve your dream despite having a disability,” she said.
Benjamin lived in Georgia when she began to lose her hearing in April 2006. By February 2007, she couldn’t speak on the phone.
With no history of hearing loss in her family, doctors couldn’t figure out how it happened, she said. Seven different doctors told her seven different opinions. She transferred to UTA to live closer to family and get the help she needed.
“No one knew I was deaf for a year until I told my mom,” she said. “I tried not to speak. So communication was minimal. People just assumed I was shy, so they left me alone. All I had was lip and body reading.”
Brannon Sledge, her best friend and graduate student at Prairie View A&M University, said Benjamin was already going deaf when they met.
“If you didn’t know she was deaf, then you couldn’t really even tell in conversation,” he said. “The worst part of her adjusting was all when it started happening to her, because it was like something that we take for granted was pulled away from her.”
Benjamin, 26, said she couldn’t do anything she used to do. She couldn’t be as social as she was before.
“I had to give up a job and two internships because when I lost my hearing, my grades were affected. I went from a 3.0 [grade-point average] to a 1.7 in a year,” she said. “I put it to the equivalent of someone who got into a car accident and lost their legs. If you’re a track runner, that’s devastating to you.
My whole world revolved around hearing.”
But in 2009, she said she heard the sound of water rushing and birds chirping again, thanks to a cochlear implant — a small, electronic device that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin to help give a representation of sounds.
“The day they turned it on, they had this big fish tank in the office. It had running water,” she said. “I was like, ‘What is that?’ It didn’t sound like water at all. It sounded like someone was playing with newspaper or something.”
Now, she is getting the hang of talking on the phone again. She said doctors told her what takes most cochlear implant patients about 2 years, she’s managed to accomplish in 6 months.
But graphic design junior Shaquita Benjamin, Michelle Benjamin’s sister, said she still has difficulty communicating with Michelle Benjamin.
“Sometimes, her hearing device is off or turned down low and I can not get her attention,” Shaquita Benjamin said. “Or, if I am trying to talk to her, she might not fully comprehend or even hear me at all.”
Both Sledge and Shaquita Benhamin said they’re proud of Michelle Benjamin for how she’s adjusted to her impairment.
“She decided to not let that stop her and continue to strive even more to accomplish her goals. She has become an even stronger person as a result of that,” Sledge said.
Michelle Benjamin, business administration graduate student, is one of them.
Established in 1976 in Las Colinas, this will be the pageant’s 35th year, said Amanda Tuite, Miss Deaf Texas director.
“How is Miss Deaf Texas different than Miss Texas? We have deaf contestants, of course,” Tuite said. “Their speech will be presented in American Sign Language. The girls are not judged based on beauty, but their talent, intelligence, clarity and poise. Miss Deaf Texas does not have a swimsuit competition.”
While there, Benjamin will represent education with disability during the speech part of the competition.
“I’m going to give a brief presentation on what it’s like from the point of view of a student, because I don’t think many people realize how hard it is,” Benjamin said.
The contestants will have some time Tuesday through July 23 before the pageant to attend workshops, public and private events, and develop new friendships, Tuite said. The winner of the pageant receives a $1,000 scholarship and will compete for Miss Deaf America in Kentucky in summer 2012.