Preschool graduation held for children with hearing loss

You might just have a graduation day you're headed to this month. One held Wednesday was especially powerful for anyone honored to see it. Just like any graduation, it marks the start of a new journey.

A group of preschool graduates walked into a room full of waiting family members. Among the group was Ryan and Carmen Iglehart's little girl, Linden.

"Who taught you how to change your hearing aids?" Ryan asked his daughter.

"You and you!" Linden smiled, pointing to her parents.

This was a preschool graduation for the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt. They teach children with hearing loss.

"They're about to enter schools that aren't specifically designed for kids with hearing loss, and they're going to have to know to advocate for themselves and get what they need," Carmen said. "Watching them at such a young age develop those skills is really incredible. Their lives are going to be forever changed because they have this experience when they were so young."

For the parents, there was an important speaker. Jason Watkins went to Mama Lere as a child.

"My mother felt something wasn't right when I wasn't talking at the same age as my older sibling," Jason explained to the crowd. "I did have a diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss."

Today, Jason's art has had been in exhibits across the country.

"Currently, I'm at Tennessee State University pursuing my master's degree in speech pathology," Jason added to applause from the crowd.

"I think it inspires parents to dream big dreams for their children," Ryan added.

Carmen sent off the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt class of 2024 in the style of Dr. Suess.

"Oh, the places you've been at Mama Lere, what a place, where children with hearing loss find their own place," Carmen read as the children graduated. "With staff that have guided and shown you the way and a collection of visitor's stickers that grows every day. Oh, the places you'll go and the stories you'll write, thanks to Mama Lere, a place that been your home, a beacon of light."

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Small gestures can have such a big impact. This story is proof. Sports Anchor Steve Layman shows how Vanderbilt Head Baseball Coach Tim Corbin, and his entire team, provided a much needed distraction for a young man and his family — facing an unthinkable tragedy. Yes, it’s just baseball. But on this day, it was so much more for everyone involved. Kudos to the Commodores!

-Rhori Johnston