Shoreline Community College graduate Steve Harper, who has cerebral palsy, addresses
his graduating class on Sunday
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A Degree In Determination
Steve Harper leads the way in showing others what can be done.
By Debbie Jakala-Givens Shoreline Week writer
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"Hi, I'm Steve Harper. I'm very honored to be reading my speech to you
today, with help from a laptop computer that has a speech synthesizer. "
Harper is a special student at Shoreline Community College and not just because
he has severe cerebral palsy. Those close to the 28-year-old man say his dedication,
determination and confidence is the difference, and is why he earned an associate's
degree from SCC this spring. Harper was one of two students selected to address
fellow graduates during commencement exercises Sunday, June 8, at the school.
He valued the opportunity to speak so he could publicly honor the friends and
family members who helped him earn his degree. It also gave him a chance to
help people see past his wheelchair by answering the questions he says people
are often afraid to ask.
"I have been a student here at Shoreline for nine years. I have severe
cerebral palsy. I communicate by using Morse code through my head switches.
The black communicator in front of me converts my Morse code into English on
the display screen."
Harper has had the black communicator attached to the front of his wheelchair
since he was 11 years old, giving him the voice his damaged central nervous
system fails to let him have. He graduated from Lynnwood High School in 1987.
"Nine years ago I went to my so-called counselor and my mom said, 'he
needs something to do,"' Harper said, swiftly moving his head back and
forth against the head switches, beads of sweat rolling down his brow. "This
woman said, 'well doesn't he like soaps?' Fortunately, another counselor overheard.
She directed us to here."
Harper attended SCC through the Community Integration Program, which provides
the support services students with severe cerebral palsy need to pursue an education.
It started in 1983 in partnership with King County Human Services and because
of Harper's persistence, expanded to include Snohomish County Human Services,
as well.
There are 23 students in the program, ranging in age from 21 to 66. Harper
is the fourth student from the program to graduate. Program coordinator John
Elmer said the big turning point in Harper's education was "KE:NX,"
an adapter which allows him to use morse code with the computer. The Morse code
is converted through KE:NX into text.
Through a word prediction program called, "co-writer" letters Harper
types appear along with a list of possible words he may be trying to spell listed
below. If the word he wants is there, he only needs to enter a number and the
word is finished.
Harper now spends about six hours a day on the computer."I have my independence,
no longer so I have to rely on other people to help me do my work."
Harper earned a general, transfer degree from SCC. This quarter he took two
classes (wellness and geography) plus a distance-learning class over the Internet.
The 11 credit course load was twice what he normally takes in a quarter.
Harper is also working, designing web pages for Seattle Children's Hospital
and another agency and is a paid, on-line adjunct instructor for an augmentative
communication class at the University of Washington. Harper's also been involved
in the UW's mentor program, "Do It!" the past two years.
Harper will enroll in the UW in the fall of 1998, taking general studies. This
way he can design his own major in technology and disabilities.
"I think we can all learn by this school's example. Instead of looking
at my physical challenges, they looked inside of my heart and soul, and even
saw my potential before I did."
The other student speaker is Melody Garcia, a single mother who returned to
school. Traditionally, there's only one student speaker. They both overwhelmed
the selection committee with their speeches, said Jim Perez,vice president of
student services.
Harper's academic advisor, Jeff Omalanz-Hood, was one of the people who nominated
him for the graduation speaker honor. "He's articulate-I think he'll really
have a lot of valuable things to say," Omalanz-Hood said. "Steve has
a special perspective and he's articulate.
"This is the nineties end it's about time people stop their senseless
visual prejudices against one I another!! No matter if a person has different
skin color, or their eyes are shaped differently than yours, or they're in a
wheelchair like me."
Rob Scanlon, Harper's friend since high school, was on stage to help him give
the speech. Harper also dedicated his degree to his friend Sara Hollingworth,
a student in SCC's nursing program, his mother, Gladys Marie Harper and his
late brother Daniel Jerry Harper and Daniel's son, Carl. "I feel great,"
Harper said in the days leading up the ceremony.
"I'm doing the speech for three reasons: to honor the people who are important
to me, talk about this wonderful Community Integration Program here at SCC and
speak against prejudice."
"It's time that we all look at each others humanity, instead of our superficial
appearances! If you look at every person's heart and soul, then you'll soon
discover that we all can contribute something in our society, if given the opportunity.
We can also discover that we can become better people end more enriched."
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