Transcript Heather Whitestone - Deafed.net Homepage

Contact: Dr. Karen Dilka
Eastern Kentucky University
• Date submitted to deafed.net – February 27,
2006
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Heather Whitestone
Miss America 1995
Background Information
• Born Feb. 24, 1973 in
Dothlan, Alabama
• At 18 months
contracted a type of
influenza.
• Treated with 2 types of
antibiotics
• After the combination
of these, she was left
completely deaf in her
right ear, and had a
95% hearing loss in
the left ear.
Education
• Learned lip reading
and speech at Doreen
Pollack Acoupedics
Center in Denver.
• Attended public
elementary school in
Alabama.
• She went on to
attended a 3yr.
Program at Central
Institute for the Deaf
in St. Louis
Education Con’t.
• Attended Birmingham Arts Academy to
study ballet
• Graduated from public high school with a
3.6 GPA, without the use of a ASL interpreter
• Went on to attend Alabama’s Jacksonville
State university
On the Road to Miss America
• Entered pageants to
help pay for her
education
• Participated in the
Miss Deaf Alabama
Pageant
• Placed 1st Runner -Up
in the Miss Alabama
Pageant before
winning
Becoming Miss America
• Performed ballet
routine and received a
standing ovation
• Won talent and swim
suit competitions
• Her official platform
was “With a positive
attitude, anything is
possible”
S*T*A*R*S
• SUCCESS THROUGH ACTION AND REALIZATION
–
–
–
–
–
1. Have a positive attitude
2. Believe in your dream
3. Face you obstacles
4. Work hard
5. Build a support team
Views of Communication
• Believes that ASL is constraining
• Prefers Signed Exact English
• Depends on her eyes and lip reading for
communication
• Does not consider herself as part of the
Deaf community
What Heather is doing now
• Serves as a executive
board member on the
President’s
Committee on
Employment of People
with Disabilities
• Involved with a public
service campaign to
identify early hearing
loss
• Works with the Helen
Keller eye research
foundation
Fun Facts
• S*T*A*R*S program has been introduced in a
Birmingham area school
• Heather married a former Congressional
Aide, John McCallum
• She writes devotionals and delivers
inspirational speeches
• Her mother used Heather’s interest in
Princess Di to inspire written and oral
exercises
How to contact Heather
• Arrange speaking engagements through
her agent: Washington Speakers Bureau
1663 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
• For autographed pictures write to:
Heather Whitestone McCalllum
P.O. Box 672801
Marietta, GA 30006
Resources
• www.wpsd.org/deafawareness/hwhiteston
e.html
• Yes, You Can, Heather! By Daphne Gray
• www. Jsu.edu/alumni/missamerica.html
• “Beyond the Sound Barrier” Time Magazine
10/3/94
• “Cut To The Chaste” People Magazine
4/1/96