As an Intervener Specialist for the Deafblind, I am expanding my career to become a teacher of the visually impaired. I want to teach children who are blind, deaf, and deafblind braille and tactile sign language. I have been an Intervener since 2014, working with my student since she was 5. She is almost 19 and will be aging out/graduating in 3 years. Teaching her braille and tactile sign language has taught me so much and heightened my love for this career. After college, I will pursue my dream of becoming a teacher to visually impaired and deaf students. She has inspired me to reach my full potential and become a teacher. Deafblindness is a low-incidence population, and there are very few interveners in the United States. Since deafblindness is such a low-incidence population, most educators are unaware how to teach these children. Most states do not recognize Interveners, currently in Georgia there are 365 children ages 0-18 who are deafblind. With that many children to serve, there are only 6 Interveners in Georgia. Most states have zero Interveners for their deafblind population. Unlike Canada, where every deafblind individual has an Intevenor from birth to death. As an advocate for NIAA, the National Intervener Advocate and Advocacy, I have worked with many states, including Canada, to bring awareness to Interveners/Intervenors. I became an Intervener in 2012 after working as a paraprofessional for 6 years. In 2014 I finished my practicum and received my credentials to become an Intervener. As an Intervener, I am required to be re-credentialed every 5 years, I have since been re-credentialed twice, I have expanded my career by attending the University of Georgia sign language courses, acquiring braille certifications, and attending many professional learning opportunities focused on deafblindness. Attending these courses has given me more resources to use with my student. By having this education and using it with my student, she has grown and learned so much. Her vocabulary and braille skills have increased tremendously, being able to teach my student more, encourages me to learn more. She is the reason I am pursuing a career as a teacher of the visually impaired, deaf, and deafblind. Her resilience and yearn for learning have been my encouragement to finish my dream of attending college to further my career. I love to joke with her and tell her when you're graduating high school, Ms. Stephaine will be graduating from college. Watching her grow into the smart young lady she is today has been such an honor. She's gone from the little girl who loves "wheels on the bus" to this amazing girl who's favorite subject in school is math and chorus. Together we can do the impossible, we can grow and blossom, and together we will soar to new heights. The future is unknown for both of us, but we have done it together. We are a great team she and I, we've grown up together, we've laughed, cried, and fought for where we are today. Stephanie Garrett

As an Intervener Specialist for the Deafblind, I am expanding my career to become a teacher of the visually impaired. I want to teach children who are blind, deaf, and deafblind braille and sign language. I have been an Intervener since 2014, working with my student since she was 5. She is almost 19 and will be aging out/graduating in 3 years. Teaching her braille and tactile sign language has taught me so much and heightened my love for this career. After college, I will pursue my dream of becoming a teacher to visually impaired and deaf students. Deafblindness is a low incidence population, there are very few Interveners in the United States. Most states do not recognize Interveners, currently in Georgia there are 365 children ages 0-18 who are deafblind. With that many children to serve, there are only 6 Interveners in Georgia. Most states have zero Interveners for their deafblind population. Unlike Canada, where every deafblind individual has an Intevenor from birth to death. As an advocate for NIAA, the National Intervener Advocate and Advocacy, I have worked with many states, including Canada, to bring awareness to Interveners/Intervenors. I decided to become an Intervener in 2012 after working as a paraprofessional for 6 years. In 2014 I finished my practicum and received my credentials to become an Intervener. As an Intervener, I am required to be re-credentialed every 5 years, I have since been re-credentialed twice, I have expanded my career by attending the University of Georgia sign language courses, acquiring braille certifications, and attending many professional learning opportunities focused on deafblindness. Attending these courses has given me more resources to use with my student. By having this education and using it with my student, she has grown and learned so much. Her vocabulary and braille skills have increased tremendously, being able to teach my student more, encourages me to learn more. She is the reason I am pursuing a career as a teacher of the visually impaired, deaf, and deafblind. Her resilience and yearn for learning have been my encouragement to finish my dream of attending college to further my career. I love to joke with her and tell her when you're graduating high school, Ms. Stephaine will be graduating from college. Together we can do the impossible, we can grow and blossom, and together we will soar to new heights. The future is unknown for both of us, but we have done it together.