Miss-Delectable
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With her tiara, a mission (phillyBurbs.com) | Burlington County Times
Jessica Malone says there weren't many prominent deaf adults for her to look up to while she was growing up.
Malone, a 23-year-old college student born with a severe hearing impairment, is hoping to change that.
The township resident was crowned Miss Deaf New Jersey at a ceremony last month at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, Mercer County. Malone said she wants to use her new status to become a role model for deaf children.
Malone was the only person who qualified for the pageant, which is sponsored by the New Jersey Association for the Deaf. Other women who aspired to wear the Miss Deaf New Jersey tiara did not meet pageant criteria or dropped out of the competition.
“I was disappointed that more girls didn't want to get involved,” Malone said Tuesday. “One of my goals is to get more girls involved in this pageant. Maybe it wasn't the right time for them. It's a big commitment.”
Malone graduated from Shawnee High School in Medford in 2003 and spent three years at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., before transferring to Gallaudet University, a school in Washington, D.C., for the deaf and hearing-impaired. She is majoring in elementary education and plans to seek a master's degree in deaf education.
Malone played field hockey at Shawnee and Ball State, and said she eventually wants to establish and coach a field hockey club for the deaf.
She will compete for the title of Miss Deaf America next year in New Orleans.
“It's a great honor,” said Malone, who can hear with the help of a hearing aid. “It's important to me to have the opportunity to meet the other girls that have become so important to the deaf community. If I don't win, it's OK. I'm excited to have the experience.”
She will hold the title of Miss Deaf New Jersey for two years. Malone will be required to make public appearances and speak at schools around the state.
She said she will focus on serving as an example for deaf youngsters.
“I think a lot of deaf children feel that they won't be a success, but I want to be in the position to tell them that they can,” she said. “It was difficult and very frustrating for me growing up because I got frustrated easily when I couldn't understand someone. I want deaf children to believe in themselves.”
Jessica Malone says there weren't many prominent deaf adults for her to look up to while she was growing up.
Malone, a 23-year-old college student born with a severe hearing impairment, is hoping to change that.
The township resident was crowned Miss Deaf New Jersey at a ceremony last month at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, Mercer County. Malone said she wants to use her new status to become a role model for deaf children.
Malone was the only person who qualified for the pageant, which is sponsored by the New Jersey Association for the Deaf. Other women who aspired to wear the Miss Deaf New Jersey tiara did not meet pageant criteria or dropped out of the competition.
“I was disappointed that more girls didn't want to get involved,” Malone said Tuesday. “One of my goals is to get more girls involved in this pageant. Maybe it wasn't the right time for them. It's a big commitment.”
Malone graduated from Shawnee High School in Medford in 2003 and spent three years at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., before transferring to Gallaudet University, a school in Washington, D.C., for the deaf and hearing-impaired. She is majoring in elementary education and plans to seek a master's degree in deaf education.
Malone played field hockey at Shawnee and Ball State, and said she eventually wants to establish and coach a field hockey club for the deaf.
She will compete for the title of Miss Deaf America next year in New Orleans.
“It's a great honor,” said Malone, who can hear with the help of a hearing aid. “It's important to me to have the opportunity to meet the other girls that have become so important to the deaf community. If I don't win, it's OK. I'm excited to have the experience.”
She will hold the title of Miss Deaf New Jersey for two years. Malone will be required to make public appearances and speak at schools around the state.
She said she will focus on serving as an example for deaf youngsters.
“I think a lot of deaf children feel that they won't be a success, but I want to be in the position to tell them that they can,” she said. “It was difficult and very frustrating for me growing up because I got frustrated easily when I couldn't understand someone. I want deaf children to believe in themselves.”