Win a gift by sharing thoughts and words about the start of school
Hey buddies, the new school year has started! Are you excited … or nervous?
Right now, Phonax wants to send a message to all students: As long as you believe in yourself, you will be able to achieve your dreams even if you have impaired hearing.
As the initiator of #BacktoSchool campaign, Phonax has invited its ambassadors from Asia, the Americas and Europe to share their inspirational stories.
Despite their different stories, they share something in common: an unshakable determination to achieve their goals and the ability to inspire others. Phonax expects to see the seeds of confidence planted after you read their stories.
Zhang Tianjiao (China, 25, dancer)
Zhang Tianjiao (Jiaojiao) suffered from serious hearing problems since she was very young. But her dream of being a dancer was never lost.
Jiaojiao graduated majoring in dance from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Academy of Arts. With many years on the stage, she has won both national and international accolades and performed on "Dream China" and the opening ceremony of the Paralympics. She also starred in a musical – "Hello Youth" – by playing out her own story, and subsequently performing in Europe with the support of the Sonova Group.
In 2019, Jiaojiao opened a dance studio in Shanghai, with the help of Shanghai Daily. It was the first of its kind operating as a charity organization dedicated to teaching children with hearing impairments. She is a shining example of how dreams are achieved in the face of adversity.
Natalia Martins (Brazil, 36, volleyball player)
Martins is a professional volleyball player. She first experienced severe hearing impairment when she was 4 years old and wore her first hearing aid at the age of 6.
Martins is Brazil's first professional volleyball player with hearing loss. With a hearing aid, which long ago became part of her body, she can hear her favorite part of the sport: the cheers of her fans. After Martins' success in major Brazilian clubs, she joined the Romanian Premier League team to chase more career success.
Emma Meesseman (Belgium, 28, basketball player)
Meesseman is a professional basketball player for the Belgian national team. She was born with hearing impairments in both ears and has been wearing hearing aids since she was a child. With her determination and the unwavering support of her family, she was able to achieve all her goals step by step.
Meesseman has won numerous accolades, including a bronze medal at the 2017 European Championships, 4th place at the 2018 World Championship, four European League Championships (2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020), the 2019 WNBA championship, and first European basketball player to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Keenan Tully (UK, 21, race car driver)
Tully is a professional race car driver and has recently been approved to be eligible to compete in the ARCA series of racing events across the United States. His dream is to become a professional NASCAR driver and owes his success to his grit, motivation and his ceaseless determination to succeed.
Maclain Drake (USA, 26, entrepreneur)
Drake was born with reverse slope hearing loss (RSHL). Despite this, he has become a successful entrepreneur, film producer, actor, musician, DJ and fashion icon.
He also founded Vibe Music Events, a music entertainment company whose mission is to "create an inclusive atmosphere for people with disabilities and provide a better experience for everyone through increased accessibility." Drake's motivating story and careers have inspired thousands, as shown from his growing social media following.
We hope to hear your messages about the new school year.
You can share thoughts about your school, encourage a friend with hearing impairment, or add a short inspirational story in the message area at the end of the article.
We will select 15 winners to award one cute pillow like the following!
