{"id":22789,"date":"2013-04-26T12:45:44","date_gmt":"2013-04-26T17:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=22789"},"modified":"2013-04-26T12:47:08","modified_gmt":"2013-04-26T17:47:08","slug":"speaker-offers-encouragement-to-oklahoma-middle-school-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/04\/26\/speaker-offers-encouragement-to-oklahoma-middle-school-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Speaker offers encouragement to Oklahoma middle school students"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"oklahoma<\/a>Speaker offers encouragement to Oklahoma middle school students<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Matt Patterson<\/p>\n

April 9, 2013<\/p>\n

Cassandra Oakes, who is blind and deaf, spoke to students at Putnam City’s Western Oaks Middle School in Bethany on Monday.<\/p>\n

BETHANY \u2014 Cassandra Oakes often spends her time motivating deaf and blind people in their daily lives, but on Monday her message was aimed at middle school students gearing up for another round of standardized tests.<\/p>\n

Oakes spoke to a packed auditorium at Putnam City’s Western Oaks Middle School. She spoke of the need to try, even if you fail, and cited her own experiences growing up deaf as an example.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to believe in yourself,\u201d Oakes told the students. \u201cNo matter who you are or where you are from, you are unique and special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oakes has Usher syndrome, a condition that affects hearing and vision. She was born deaf and began losing her vision in her late 30s. She spoke for about 25 minutes and then took questions from the audience. Students were impressed with her message.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe’s very inspirational,\u201d eighth-grade student Santana Spangler-Day said. \u201cShe’s had a rough life, but she still managed to get through it. It just shows you what you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eighth-grader Kailee Lovelady said Oakes shows how important a good attitude is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it would have been easy for her not to try,\u201d Lovelady said. \u201cShe has an amazing attitude, and that’s the most important thing that I learned from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oakes has four children and six grandchildren. She founded the Sight-Hearing Encouragement Program, which works with deaf and blind kids to show them they can reach their potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has a great story,\u201d eighth-grader Trey Gooch said. \u201cI just can’t imagine being blind or deaf and having to rise above that, but she has done that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oakes said her goal when speaking to kids is to instill confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was a kid I was just like them, and everyone told me I couldn’t do it, but I kept trying,\u201d Oakes said. \u201cThere’s no reason not to try. That’s what I want them to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

SOURCE:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/newsok.com\/speaker-offers-encouragement-to-oklahoma-middle-school-students\/article\/3781172<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Speaker offers encouragement to Oklahoma middle school students By Matt Patterson April 9, 2013 Cassandra Oakes, who is blind and deaf, spoke to students at Putnam City’s Western Oaks Middle School in Bethany on Monday. BETHANY \u2014 Cassandra Oakes often…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[4621,18308,15752,13754,494,18309,440,18307,15751,18310,18178,18306],"class_list":["post-22789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-article","tag-bethany","tag-cassandra-oakes","tag-dea","tag-deafblind","tag-kailee-lovelady","tag-oklahoma","tag-putnam-city","tag-sight-hearing-encouragement-program","tag-trey-gooch","tag-usher-syndrome","tag-western-oaks-middle-school"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-5Vz","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20554,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/11\/02\/oklahoma-organization-helps-deaf-and-blind-people-achieve-their-potential\/","url_meta":{"origin":22789,"position":0},"title":"Oklahoma organization helps deaf and blind people achieve their potential","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"November 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Oklahoma organization helps deaf and blind people achieve their potential Cassandra Oakes founded the Sight-Hearing Encouragement Program to ensure that people who were deaf and blind would have an organization in Oklahoma focused on helping them achieve their potential. A conference is scheduled for this weekend in Midwest City. By\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40338,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2020\/02\/07\/first-ever-middle-school-robotics-tournament-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-at-tsd\/","url_meta":{"origin":22789,"position":1},"title":"First Ever Middle School Robotics Tournament for Deaf and Hard of Hearing at TSD","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"February 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"JOINT PRESS RELEASE Contact: A.J. Morton Phone: 512-462-5416 Email: Alan.Morton@tsd.state.tx.us Contact: Keena Miller 512\/462-5328; c 512\/658-4444 keena.miller@tsd.state.tx.us FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 7, 2020 First Ever Middle School Robotics Tournament for Deaf & Hard of Hearing February 7-8, 2020 Austin, Texas \u2013 February 7 - Middle school students across the country are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/NRSC-VEX-IQ-Flyer.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":22479,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/04\/08\/bill-supporting-schools-for-the-blind-and-deaf-heads-to-governor\/","url_meta":{"origin":22789,"position":2},"title":"Bill supporting schools for the Blind and Deaf heads to governor","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"April 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Bill supporting schools for the Blind and Deaf heads to governor Transcript Staff The Norman Transcript April 2, 2013 NORMAN \u2014 Having received unanimous approval from both the Senate and House, Senate Bill 251 is on its way to the Governor\u2019s desk. 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