March, 2019

The NSDA held a contest accepting essays, poems and artwork to be included in a collection to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the NSDA.

Poetry Winner: Jody Narayan

Her poem, SD Reflections, was loved by many during the voting. “I am so glad that my poem resonated with the SD community with whom I share a deeply felt life experience. My poem came from my heart and I’m very happy it was appreciated.”

Artwork Winner: Laura Rahuba

Laura submitted her original artwork titled: Found a New Voice (see image on left). Laura describes her journey: “Voice is a part of one’s identity. When I lost my natural speaking voice, I lost a part of myself. After the grief passed, I learned to love and accept my new voice, both literally and figuratively.”

Essay Winner: Jason Sherlock

Jason’s essay is entitled, Journey of a High School Principal with SD. As Jason wrote “I will have spasmodic dysphonia for the rest of my life, but it does not define me. I am resigned that my voice will never again be perfect. However, this journey made me a better principal and has taught me that I have the strength, perseverance, and courage to accomplish anything.”

New Book Collection

The winning entries were included in the book, Celebrating Our Voice, published in April, 2019. The book is available for ordering.