The Mortimer Bauer Scholarship

The Mortimer Bauer Scholarship

Scholarship Application

Previous Essay Winners

Carys Collin


I have had many amazing mentors and teachers that have helped me to achieve my goals. My first hearing support teacher, Ms. Carol Mantsch, helped me from the very beginning of my journey with my cochlear implants and made listening and speaking fun. Dr. DeVita Jones, my first grade teacher at Devon Elementary, taught me to believe in myself and my abilities and to always strive for success. Ms. Christine Shanley, my hearing support teacher at Conestoga, supported me as I planned for post-high school life and always went above and beyond to help me to find opportunities to grow. The last teacher I would like to thank is Mr. David Anderson, my junior year AP Government teacher, who taught me the value of a strong work ethic. 
 
During high school I was involved in:

  • Conestoga High School Varsity Swim Team (Freshman-Senior)

  • Phoenixville YMCA Club Swim Team 12+ years

  • Conestoga High School Cross Country (Junior-Senior)

  • National Honors Society

  • National Art Honors Society (officer position: Parliamentarian)

  • Eastown Library Volunteer supporting the Summer Reading Program

  • Lifeguard at Waynesborough Country Club (4 years)

 
I will be studying International Business in the Honors College of The University of South Carolina beginning in the fall of 2024.  I have chosen this major because I am interested in business economics, global workforces, and the intersection of supply chains across countries. Within this major, I will continue my study of languages and use these skills in my planned study abroad.
 

Shane Tyree


Shane Tyree is graduating from Downingtown West High School. After High School he’s going to college at

Delaware County Community College for Baking & Pastry Arts.

He would like to thank his teachers/mentors Angela Kottmeyer, Chef Emily Landis, and his hearing support teacher

Robyn Evert. Throughout his highschool career Mrs. Kottmeyer helped him find his passion for food during his Junior year.

As for Chef Landis, she helped him learn a lot of things such as new skills and boosting his confidence level in the industry.

Mrs. Evert helped him with his hearing goals throughout his Senior year and would like to thank her for it.

As well as giving him the opportunity to participate in this scholarship.
Shane was born with mild-moderate bi-lateral sensorineural hearing loss but has a passion for baking.

He would like to own a cafe or bakery in the future. He likes to bake at home for fun and for his family as well as baking for

family events and parties. The more he does it the more fun he gains. His first dessert he ever made was

vanilla creme brulee. He would make it a lot and his family enjoyed it. Ever since then, he learned how to make bigger

and better desserts and plans on baking them in the future.

Jimmy Scherer 2023 Essay


CCIU Scholarship Essay


            I, a child born with sensorineural hearing loss in both of my ears, have a thriving passion for music.

As much of a listener as I may be, I also enjoy playing and making music for myself and others. My interest in music

started in elementary school when I was first introduced to the act of actually playing an instrument. The cello

really stood out to me because I liked the way that a person would have to sit down to play; I couldn’t wait to

get started.    

I played cello throughout elementary and middle school.  In high school, I often found myself listening to the performance pieces at home, and that led me to exploring other genres of music. The more I listened and played,

the better my ears developed musically. It was really enjoyable to get better at my instrument as I

progressed through high school. Last year, I even felt confident enough to join my school’s marching

band and learn how to play the marimba. I picked up marimba quickly, because it is very similar to a piano

and I had piano lessons in middle school. 

My everyday life could have been better without hearing loss, because basic things like meal conversations,

listening to teachers talk, and even interacting with friends was hard. Sometimes I would miss things they

said and be too scared to ask them to repeat it. Even if I had annoying moments in those situations, music

was always something I could count on. I was pretty proud of myself for making it this far in my music career

with atypical hearing. 

One day I realized something crazy: whenever I played a note on my cello, or even my piano at home,

I could process and save that sound in my head. Then later when listening to music, the sounds I heard

actually translated into notes that I recognized. For example when listening to a new piece of music,

I would hear a violin play the note, A. Somehow, I would know that that pitch was an A and the same with

all of the other pitches that I could hear or remember. If I could process sounds into musical pitches just

from hearing them, I realized I unlocked a new power in myself. When listening to a pop song, I could hear the

notes of the bassline or the introductory chords. Using this knowledge, I would figure out the key of the piece

really quickly by humming the notes back to myself. Once I knew all of that, I could play the parts I heard on a piano.

For example, Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” was a piece I heard and played by myself on my cello and piano without

sheet music. I have spent a lot of time messing around on pianos just playing iconic small parts of famous songs

from memory. Any other person would hear a song and maybe remember a rhythm that stood out, or a funny lyric.

I go in supercomputer mode and within a few moments of listening, I can figure out the chord progression and

type of rhythm used, and put that all together to play an excerpt of the music that I remember. 

Soon, I had my friends playing random notes on their instruments and I would tell them what that note was

without looking. Besides showcasing this ability for my friends, I found it so amazing to bypass using sheet music

if it wasn’t available. I could just hear what I wanted to play and then I could. Sometimes I would just make my own arrangement of the music from what I heard to try and match the actual score. I never let my hearing loss stop me

from progressing at any point especially with this unique ability of mine. Now in my final stage of high school, I

am very excited to continue my passion for music in my future.


Jimmy Scherer

Jimmy Scherer 2023 Essay

CCIU Scholarship Essay
            I, a child born with sensorineural hearing loss in both of my ears, have a thriving passion for music.

As much of a listener as I may be, I also enjoy playing and making music for myself and others.

My interest in music started in elementary school when I was first introduced to the act of actually playing

an instrument. The cello really stood out to me because I liked the way that a person would have to sit down

to play; I couldn’t wait to get started.    I played cello throughout elementary and middle school. 

 In high school, I often found myself listening to the performance pieces at home, and that led me to

exploring other genres of music. The more I listened and played, the better my ears developed

musically. It was really enjoyable to get better at my instrument as I progressed through high school.

Last year, I even felt confident enough to join my school’s marching band and

learn how to play the marimba. I picked up marimba quickly, because it is very similar to

a piano and I had piano lessons in middle school. My everyday life could have been

better without hearing loss, because basic things like meal conversations,

listening to teachers talk, and even interacting with friends was hard.

Sometimes I would miss things they said and be too scared to ask them to repeat it. Even if

I had annoying moments in those situations, music was always something

I could count on. I was pretty proud of myself for making it this far in my music career with

atypical hearing. One day I realized something crazy:

whenever I played a note on my cello, or even my piano at home, I could process and save that

sound in my head. Then later when listening to music, the sounds

I heard actually translated into notes that I recognized. For example when listening to a

new piece of music, I would hear a violin play the note, A.

Somehow, I would know that that pitch was an A

and the same with all of the other pitches that I could hear or remember. If I could process

sounds into musical pitches just from hearing them, I realized I unlocked a new power in myself.

When listening to a pop song, I could hear the notes of the bassline or the introductory chords.

Using this knowledge, I would figure out the key of the piece really quickly by

humming the notes back to myself. Once I knew all of that, I could play the parts I heard on a piano.

For example, Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” was a piece I heard and played by myself

on my cello and piano without sheet music. I have spent a lot of time messing around on

pianos just playing iconic small parts of famous songs from memory. Any other

person would hear a song and maybe remember a rhythm that stood out,

or a funny lyric. I go in supercomputer mode and within a few moments of listening,

I can figure out the chord progression and type of rhythm used, and put that all

together to play an excerpt of the music that

I remember. Soon, I had my friends playing random notes on their instruments

and I would tell them what that note was without looking.

Besides showcasing this ability for my friends, I found it so amazing to bypass using sheet music

if it wasn’t available. I could just hear what I wanted to play and then I could. Sometimes

I would just make my own arrangement of the music

from what I heard to try and match the actual score. I never let my hearing

loss stop me from progressing at any point especially with this

unique ability of mine. Now in my final stage of high school, I am very excited to

continue my passion for music in my future.
Jimmy Scherer

Emily Reester - 2020 Essay


 What would you like the world to know about you?

         We are born with five senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell.

To everyone around me, I look just like everybody else, but if you look close enough at my ears, I’m not.

Day in and day out, I wake up and the first thing I reach for are my hearing aids, sitting on my nightstand.

I do not have normal hearing like everyone else, and this has defined me. 

It is no joke: it is not easy being able to hear everyday. It took a long time for me to be comfortable with who I am,

accept my reality, and embrace it; once I did these things, my hearing loss empowered my every moment. It is something

beautiful, something positive and influential, and I want to share this light with the world. 
         I like to look back and think about the small moments that have shaped me into who I am today. To me, it is the

small moments that count like the time I was first able to introduce myself, my disability, and my accommodations

comfortably to a teacher; the time I could comfortably respond when kids in school pointed to my ears and asked, 

“what’s that?”; the countless times I asked my friends to speak up so I could hear; and the times I repeatedly asked

my dance teachers to wear my bluetooth microphone, even when they replied no. Moments like these, where I accept

and embrace my reality, have strengthened my courage and advocacy.
         In the summer of 2018, I proposed a panel to the Alexander Graham Bell Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of

Hearing’s National Convention, and my proposal was accepted. I collaborated with one of my best friends — who

is completely deaf — and we presented our stories about living with hearing loss. As I was sharing my story with strangers 

— people like parents of hearing impaired children and hearing loss support teachers — they were eager to listen; they

wanted to soak up the significant moments from my life. They asked the types of questions you cannot find answers to in

a book, and I was able to talk with and help them to the best of my ability. A mother of a hearing

impaired daughter of my age asked about our methods of advocating for ourselves in the school environment.

I told her and the whole audience about how I work to meet my teachers every year prior to the first day of school

to introduce myself, my story, and my accommodations. I shared that it was not easy to find the courage to advocate

for myself, but I surrounded myself with people who were always kind and encouraging. As we talked, I saw the tense

shoulders of mothers of hearing impaired children lower and the worried creases on their foreheads lessen.

I saw light bulbs go off for hearing loss support teachers who gave affirming nods to every response.

By the end of our panel, I realized something that I will always keep with me: I was a light of hope for these people,

living proof that we have no limitations in life.
         Reflecting on the convention later in the year, I remembered the signs of relief in the parents and the support from

the teachers. Therein lies the positive influence I set out to achieve; I saw a beautiful change in the outlook of my audience.

This was only the beginning of a journey to forever release the light that is my disability. It differentiates me from everyone:

it has empowered me, pushed me to find myself, and will continue to propel me to the best version of me. 

Emily Reester

​Jennifer Castillo 2021 Essay
​My Journey as Trilingual Deaf Student

Jennifer Castillo
November 23, 2020
 
My Journey as Trilingual Deaf Student
 
Working twice as hard as everyone can be overwhelming, especially if you are like me. Everyone has their own

unique background; but mine isn't as simple as most. I am Mexican-American and I am deaf. I was born deaf

and raised in a Hispanic household where I struggled to learn Spanish and English with my limited hearing. I first

learned English Sign Language then American Sign Language. In my Hispanic household where my parents

could not help with my homework, projects, or applying to colleges, I had to learn to be independent from an early

age and help my parents translate information in languages I struggled to understand. I do not blame my parents for

not helping me, they worked so hard to provide for me and my family. I had to work twice as hard to make my

parents proud and make me feel satisfied with my achievements. I will be the first person to go to college in my family.

I have been the first person to do many essential things in my family. 

My hearing loss currently presents as a bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. This means that without

amplification, I do not have access to auditory information. When I was five years old, my hearing began to get

worse and hearing aids alone were no longer benefiting me. I was recommended to look into cochlear implants.

My parents decided that I would have surgery on one ear when I was seven years old. Due to my

late access to sound, I’ve learned everything late unlike my peers who began to talk at 2 years old.

My implant was successful, and I was able to make my way through life and school, catching up

and determined to always do my best. Throughout school I needed many accommodations to be

successful and access the auditory information in my classrooms. I was pulled out for multiple services

including speech therapy and hearing support. During these services I would not only work on my

articulation and auditory skills, I also received extensive academic support.

Previewing and reviewing classroom material helped me hear, understand, and learn. I was always being

pulled out of class, the center of attention, and missing fun activities. I felt like an outcast, but I know how

hard I worked and how far I came. 

A decade later I was faced with the decision to get a second cochlear implant on my own. After much

deliberation I decided to get the surgery because I wanted to experience how it worked. I had no memories

of my previous experience with my first cochlear implant surgery.  Having one cochlear implant was adequate,

but I have learned to never settle and always push myself further. My goal was to influence the younger generation

so they know that they can achieve anything. I was inspired by my two younger cousins who happen to

both have cochlear implants. I may have cochlear implants on me, but it does not mean I do not want

to be deaf. I still identify myself as being Deaf and am proud of who I am and what I have accomplished.

​In my world, I see both perspectives on how things work. In the hearing world, people should not treat those with

hearing loss differently. They should also learn sign language like other foreign languages in high school

to spread awareness and help others in the world. In the deaf world, we struggle to communicate with the

rest of society. We have limited opportunities because people do not think we are capable of doing anything.

Many hearing people think we cannot do normal things. I can do normal things, it's just that I cannot hear on my

own. I work two jobs, I am captain of the track & field team at my high school, I teach an ASL club, and do well in school. 

Having hearing loss has been an obstacle in my life, but an obstacle that I have overcome and will continue to overcome.

It has not kept me from accomplishing my goals and I want others with hearing loss to know that there is nothing that can

stop us.

Get updated by subscribing

to our newsletter

Get instant news by subscribing to our monthly newsletter!

 We look forward to helping you navigate some of the wealth of information available for those with hearing loss!  Email us your name & email address to be added to the mailing list.

Join the Conversation


Please visit our Facebook

page for more

information, articles,
​and updates!
​HLAA Chester County

Our Instagram is Coming

Soon

We would love to see you!

We sure do get excited when new

attendees come to our meeting!

If you're not able to attend at this time,

just send us an email and

we will put you on our email list to

be notified of upcoming meetings

and events.

Thanks for visiting our website. 

Our Address

Meeting Location:
Christ Community Church
1190 Phoenixville Pike
West Chester, PA 19380


Postal Mail: P.O. Box 1371,

West Chester, PA 19380

hlaachesco@gmail.com

Get updated by subscribing

to our newsletter

Get instant news by subscribing to our monthly newsletter!

 We look forward to helping you navigate some of the wealth of information available for those with hearing loss!  Email us your name & email address to be added to the mailing list.

Join the Conversation


Please visit our Facebook

page for more

information, articles,
​and updates!
​HLAA Chester County

Our Instagram is Coming

Soon

We would love to see you!

We sure do get excited when new

attendees come to our meeting!

If you're not able to attend at this time,

just send us an email and

we will put you on our email list to

be notified of upcoming meetings

and events.

Thanks for visiting our website. 

Our Address

Meeting Location:
Christ Community Church
1190 Phoenixville Pike
West Chester, PA 19380


Postal Mail: P.O. Box 1371,

West Chester, PA 19380

hlaachesco@gmail.com

Get updated by subscribing

to our newsletter

Get instant news by subscribing to our monthly newsletter!

 We look forward to helping you navigate some of the wealth of information available for those with hearing loss!  Email us your name & email address to be added to the mailing list.


Join the Conversation


Please visit our Facebook

page for more

information, articles,
​and updates!
​HLAA Chester County

Our Instagram is Coming

Soon

We would love to see you!

We sure do get excited when new

attendees come to our meeting!

If you're not able to attend at this time,

just send us an email and

we will put you on our email list to

be notified of upcoming meetings

and events.

Thanks for visiting our website. 





Our Address

Meeting Location:
Christ Community Church
1190 Phoenixville Pike
West Chester, PA

19380

Postal Mail: P.O. Box 1371, West Chester, PA 19380

hlaachesco@gmail.com

Get updated by subscribing

to our newsletter

Get instant news by subscribing to our monthly newsletter!

 We look forward to helping you navigate some of the wealth of information available for those with hearing loss!  Email us your name & email address to be added to the mailing list.

Join the Conversation


Please visit our Facebook

page for more

information, articles,
​and updates!
​HLAA Chester County

Our Instagram is Coming

Soon

We would love to see you!

We sure do get excited when new

attendees come to our meeting!

If you're not able to attend at this time,

just send us an email and

we will put you on our email list to

be notified of upcoming meetings

and events.

Thanks for visiting our website. 

Our Address

Meeting Location:
Christ Community Church
1190 Phoenixville Pike
West Chester, PA 19380


Postal Mail: P.O. Box 1371,

West Chester, PA 19380

hlaachesco@gmail.com