Advocacy Skills for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teens

Self-advocacy skills are crucial to living a successful life with hearing loss.

However, many teenagers with hearing loss are reluctant to let others know about their hearing challenges and are uncertain about advocating for their own needs. CHAMPS
is a program that, since 2008, has been encouraging students to develop an awareness of the benefits of developing these essential self-advocacy skills.

CHAMPS (formerly called the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Advocate of the Year Program -DHH AOY) targets this need, and since 2008, it has successfully addressed the need for teens to learn these essential skills in tandem with their seldom-seen peers.

How CHAMPS Develops Teens’ Advocacy Skills

Regularly scheduled challenge activities for students to be completed and verified by teachers.

Lunch and discussion opportunities with successful adult deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) mentors.

Advocate of the Year contest to identify and reward outstanding student advocates.

DHH guest speaker, or panel of speakers who address topics related to self-advocacy.

Networking opportunities with other DHH students throughout the luncheon.

Exhibit booths relating to students’ needs.

Past scholarships were made available to students to develop leadership and other skills- CHAMPS hopes to be able to offer this again in the future.

Hear What They Say

Funding for CHAMPS

As CHAMPS (AOY) finds its program activities growing into a year-round presence, there is a need to increase its funding base. In the past, CHAMPS’ program activities, awards, scholarships, and networking opportunities have been possible by donations made by:

LASEC (Lockport Area Special Education Cooperative)
Participating Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will County School District Donations
Local Business Donations
University partners
Local Business Donations
Private Donations

In recent years, CHAMPS (AOY) has been unable to offer scholarships, event speakers, and more due to budget constraints. We want to begin offering these incentives again.

You are invited to become a supporter of this program and help these students develop their bright futures! Find out how by contacting Brenda Schmidt, CHAMPS Coordinator at bschmidt@lasec.org or 815-838-8080, ext. 140. LASEC is a public entity, and checks can be made out directly to LASEC- c/o CHAMPS program.

Your kind support would be greatly appreciated as CHAMPS strives to help these young teens become adults with bright futures!

Our Sponsors

Champs is grateful for the valuable contribution of our sponsors to support our mission. Without their generous support, we wouldn't be able to provide the services we do to those in need.