Robert O'Gurek2007 Edwin and Esther Prentke
AAC Distinguished Lecturer
Barry Romich - Robert O'Gurek
Hi Everybody! I am Robert O'Gurek Junior. I am so honored to be here in Boston Massachusetts to accept the 2007 Edwin and Esther Prentke Lecture award. Before I go in to my speech, I would like to extend my sympathy to the Prentke family for the passing of Edwin Morris Prentke this past May. Edwin touched tens of thousands of lives all over the world. I am grateful for his determination during his life to help individuals with disabilities communicate all around the world, just like me. Thank you.
I am from Summit Hill, Pennsylvania. Summit Hill is a small community in the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania. I am the son of Robert O'Gurek Sr. and Patricia O'Gurek. I have two brothers and one sister. My two brothers' names are Justin and Ryan. My sister's name is Trish. Even though I live in Summit Hill, I attended school in the Panther Valley School District, which consists of the 3 other towns surrounding Summit Hill.
When I entered kindergarten, I had no communication device to help me talk to my fellow class mates or my teacher. I communicated by body language, pointing at things with my eyes, and I would foot tap the alphabet to spell what I want to say. This was very time consuming. So the school district hired a teacher's aide to work with me one on one to help me communicate and learn more effectively. The school district also brought in an assistive technology specialist from the carbon lee high intermediate unit. Her name was Bonnie Young. Bonnie is here in attendance today, because she nominated me for this honorable award. Bonnie, please stand up so you can get the recognition that you deserve. Thank you Bonnie for your nomination!
Bonnie helped my aide design picture boards and made a fabric head band with a white light on top of it, allowing me to shine the light on the picture I want. However, I did not like how people were talking for me; I wanted to communicate by myself. In first grade, Bonnie knew that the Prentke Romich Company came out with a communication device called the Light Talker. I got the Light talker and I could finally talk for myself and do my school work on. I also liked the fact that I could use word strategy on it because I could make sentences faster and better. However, when I passed grade by grade in elementary school then middle school, the school work got tougher to do on the light talker.
In eighth grade, I received the Liberator. When I tried the
infrared light on the Liberator, it was very hard to work because it did not
work like the infrared light on the light talker. After awhile, I got very
frustrated with the Liberator's infrared light that I decided to try my headstick,
which I used on the computer. When I entered high school, I was given an option
to take less school courses to cut down on my school work and go an extra
year of high school. This was the toughest decision I ever had to make in
my life, because I went to elementary school to high school with my class,
and I wanted to graduate with them. However, I had to do what was best for
me and my cousin Wally said something to me while I was contemplating what
I should do. He said to me. You only go to high school once in your life time
and most students do not have that option to go an extra year of high school
and he was right. I decided to go the five years and it really benefited me
in so many ways.
During my high school years, I was very active in the school activities and
also in my community. I got asked to join the marching band by the band director.
He knew me since I was in kindergarten because he was our music teacher. My
brother Justin was also in the band that time. While in the band, I played
the gong during the field show for a year. The band director and my Dad mounted
a long pole on my wheelchair, and what I would do is swing my wheelchair around
and hit the gong. It worked pretty good I must say. The other thing I did
in the band is March in the Summit Hill Memorial Day parade. I used to love
doing this because it is a big parade in the area and it is in my home town
even though I didn't play a musical instrument in it. While I was in high
school, my friends joined the Summit Hill Diligence Fire Company and would
hang out at the firehouse. They told me to come over and hang out with them.
So I did for a while and they asked me if I wanted to join the fire company
as a junior member. I was a junior fire company member after they voted me
inn. At this time, I didn't realize how the fire company would have a huge
impact in my life. You will see what I am talking about in a little bit later.
During this time, the school created an introduction to the Internet course. This course got me interested in designing web sites. While I was taking that course, I volunteered to design a Panther Valley Football web page with their schedule on it. I was always a big Fan of Panther Valley football and I could not play football in high school because of my disability. So I figured I would volunteer to make the football team a web site. Over the 9 years of doing the site, it has grown tremendously. It is still on the Internet today. (http://home.ptd.net/~spins/Panther_Valley_Football/main.htm) When the night came for my class graduation, I decided to attend the graduation ceremony because I wanted to be there to see my friends and classmates graduate. It was tough, but I was happy to be there. What made that night special to me is, I got invited to my class' all night party. I got to spend one last night with them. At that time, I received the Liberator two with the word prediction. Word prediction helps me communicate faster and better. It made it easier to write papers.
My fifth year of high school was the most enjoyable, because I had only three required courses to take for me to graduate. When it was time to go to the prom, I took a beautiful girl named Brittany. Brittany and I were in the band together and we used to talk on instant messenger. At the prom, Brittany accommodated me by dancing on her knees with me, because I didn't want to dance in my wheelchair. At home, I would always walk on my knees and I thought it would be better and funner to dance With Brittany on my knees rather than dancing in my wheelchair. The night got even more special when the students voted me the 19 99 prom king. I was so honored and surprise. As you could hear, the students really treated me great in the school district. I know I was very lucky to have a successful high school career.
I reached my first huge goal when I graduated high school with a high school diploma. The graduation ceremony was even more special, because my brother Justin was also graduating that night, so we graduated together. That following fall, I started my college career at Lee high Carbon Community College. First I had to major in Liberal Arts, because the college did not have the web development program at that time and I had to take my basic required courses. When I started to attend classes, I received a huge awakening my first few semesters. Lee high Carbon Community College denied me the option to have an assistant in the class room with me. At first, I was totally against the college decision, because I was use to having an assistant by my side in the Panther Valley School district. However, as the semesters pass semester by semester, I got use to being independent in the class room and I loved it. I was a successful college student as I made the dean's list a couple of semesters. During my college career, I receive the most persistent award for carrying a grade point average above 3 point 0. I am very proud of that accomplishment.
There was another goal I wanted to accomplish. The college was 45 minutes away from my house and in a different county. This limited me to use the public transportation in my area, because the county bus transit would not cross the county borders to transport me to college. This problem took away my independence which I stride for each and everyday! In the meanwhile, my parents and my Uncle Walter had to take time out of their lives to transport me to college. I really appreciate all they do for me. In fact, I would like to take a moment to thank my parents for bringing me here to Boston Massachusetts to accept this honorable award. Thank you mom and Dad for everything you do for me! During this time I set the independence goal I just talked about, my uncle bill was running for the county commissioner and got elected. I approached him with the county bus transit borders limitations that they have. To cut this story short, he and his fellow commissioners got a state grant for the county bus transit so they can cross the county lines. After the carbon county community transit received the state grant, the community transit worked with my college class schedule and took me to my classes. I loved it. I felt like any other independent college student!
When I was half way through my college career, I was asked by my good friend Lenny Ogozalek, if I would be interested being on the September eleventh tribute committee to help put on a tribute to September eleventh for the fire company. I accepted the offer because I had a chance to help remember those who lost their lives on that tragic morning of September 11th 2001. While being on that committee, I helped with advertising, planning the event and also I had the honor to give the opening speech. When I gave the speech with my communication device, I felt like it opened people's eyes that I can communicate in the community as well. At the end of the tribute, I made a power point presentation that showed the time line of pictures of the tragic morning of September 11, 2001. The people who attended the tribute really liked the 9 11 slide show. If anybody would like to see the September 11th slide show, I can show you it; just ask me after my speech.
When the tribute was all done, I still helped the fire company with fund raising and computer work. I even attend training classes like any other fire fighter when the class is in Summit Hill. Every Monday and Thursday night I drive my wheelchair over the firehouse to hang out with my friends and to help with administrative work. This is another big factor that gives me more independence and gives me a social life as well. In the winter, I still drive my wheelchair to the fire house. However, either my Dad or my brother Ryan follows me to the fire House, and then one of the fire company members follows me home. I will not travel to the fire company by myself in the winter, because what if something goes wrong with my wheelchair. That will not be good at all. 3 years ago the election of the company officers was going on and they were nominating the trustees. The president asked me if I would be interested in being a trustee of the fire company. At first I was so honored to get asked to be one of the three trustees because the trustees are at the top of the fire company. I accepted the nomination and I was one of 3 trustees of the Summit Hill Diligence Fire Company when it was New Years Day. I am still a trustee today and a couple of weeks ago, I got nominated to be a trustee for next year.
While I was helping the fire company, I graduated from Lehigh Carbon Community College with an associate’s degree in web development. This night was unbelievable in that I just graduated college and when I started college, graduation seemed like it was going to be an inturnity. Because, in college, I only took two courses per semester and my degree was a two year degree.
That summer, the fire company asked my friend Dave Ogozalek and I to redesign the fire company's web site because it was old and not up to date. Dave and I sat down and came up with a layout. Then we split up the work. I took some pages to work on while he worked on the rest. When the web page was finished, we asked the fire company if the company would buy a web site package to have our own web address. We voted on getting www.summithillfire.com. The web site was launched September 26, 2006. The fire company web site is used for letting people know and see what is happening in the fire company. We also advertise the events that the fire company is putting on like our fund raisers. Our biggest fund raiser takes place on Memorial Day weekend called the Summit Hill Stay-At-Home festival. The Summit Hill Recreation Commission and the fire company team up to put this festival on. We start setting up the festival a week before it starts and it is a lot of work. Even though I am in a wheelchair, I try helping with the festival by pushing the trashcans with my wheelchair where they belong. That takes some of the work off of the other volunteers.
The festivities end in Summit Hill on Memorial Day with the Summit Hill Memorial Day parade. This parade takes place every year going back to the early 1900's. On Memorial Day, I get dress in my fire company suit and drive my wheelchair over the fire company to march with my fellow fire fighters in the parade. What is funny about this is, my friend Poko always busts on me because, when we are marching in the parade all we hear is, Hi Bobby, Hi Bobby, Hi Bobby, Hi Bobby. It is really funny. He says he even hears people say Hi Bobby in his sleep. Ha-ha-ha.
Last December the fire company held our end of the year Christmas party, where they give out awards. I received the volunteer of the year award for my dedication to the fire company. I was so honored. When there is a counsel meeting, I usually attend them because it is interesting to hear what is happening in town. For me to get in the borough hall, I have to go in back of the building where there is only one step to get in. There was always a conserversy where to put a ramp that would meet the Americans with Disabilities Act's requirements and no ramp project came out of it. However, the mayor found an old wooden cupboard door that I use for a ramp to get into the borough hall and either the borough secretary, who is also my friend or one of the fire company members help me to get in the borough hall. It works good I must say. The good part of all of this is the borough is going to build a new borough hall and fire company next spring. So I will be able to go in and out the borough hall much more easier.
When there is not anything going on in town, I drive my wheelchair
around town and visit my friends. Sometimes my friend Dave and Kelsey take
me to the mall to get out of the house. I really enjoy going out with them.
They always come to my house to visit me especially in the winter since I
do not go out in the winter to visit them. I appreciate all they do for me.
After I graduated from college, I started to look for a job for web development.
To find a job in a web design company was another goal I set for myself when
I was younger. At first the search for employment was not going well at all.
However, I received 2 web sites to design thanks to people who knew that I
design web sites. The first web site was for my friend who built a resort
in Buzios, Brazil called Evans Private Paradise to rent out apartments. (www.evansprivateparadise.com).
The second web site was for people who live in Costa Rica, who knew me through
their Son. The web site is called Costa Rica, Heaven on Earth and it is used
for to help them sell properties they are building in Costa Rica. (www.costaricapropertyheavenonearth.com)
A year and a half past and my two friends John Shemansik and Dave Ogozalek opened a computer business in Summit Hill. They asked me if I would be interested in working for their business as a web developer. I was definitely interested working for them. I started to work for them back in August and it is going great. This is really special to me, because S & O Computers is own by my two best friends who I went to grade school and High school with. I was lucky to make life long and true good friends being mainstreamed in the panther valley school district as such at a young age. In the spring, they are going to open a store front with offices. I will work in there developing web sites and working on other computer stuff. Dave and I buiIt a new S and O Computers web site. (www.s-ocomputers.com) it is not on the internet yet, so you are the first to see the site. I got permission to put this on my slide show. I am very excited for this job opportunity working with my two good friends.
The future of augmentative communication for me looks very exciting. Back in May, I went to get an evaluation at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation in Allentown Pennsylvania where I met Carrie Kane, the Speech pathologist. At first I was planning to get the Pathfinder Plus and we ordered it. However, in August I attended the Pittsburgh Employment Conference like I do every two years. At the conference thanks to Darlette Navrotski and Anthony Arnold, I got to try the Eco-14. I was amazed how the Eco-14 is a powerful communication device and how it could benefit me in so many ways. When I got home from Pittsburgh I contacted Carrie to see if I can change my communication device to the Eco-14. I went down to good shepherd again to get re-evaluated. Since then, my Eco-14 has been just approved. I would like to thank Carrie Kane from Good Shepherd Rehabilitation for her hard work getting me the Eco-14. This is not my echo that I am speaking with. The Prentke Romich Company was so kind to me loaning me this Eco to make my Edwin and Esther Distinguish Lecture award acceptance speech on an Eco-14. I would like to take this time to thank PRC for loaning this Eco-14 to me. Thank you Prentke Romich Company. I really appreciate PRC loaning me this communication device.
As I mentioned just before, I attend the Pittsburgh Employment Conference every two years. I like going to this conference, because I get to listen how other augmentative communicators do different things to help them be successful in their lives. The conference also allows me get reunited with my friends, who I do not see in two years but we stay in contact over instant messenger. Thanks to SHOUT, I have the honor to speak at PEC, which I enjoy.
Getting involved in the community always interested me. In my opinion I feel people who have a disability should get involved in their communities because anybody can make a difference if you stride for anything you want to accomplish. I feel if more people who use augmentative communication devices volunteer in their community, it would bring a positive reaction among the public towards augmentative communicators and the disability community. I would like to thank the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for their hospitality for me and my parents throughout the weekend.
Thank you!
Robert O'Gurek
spins@ptd.net
While at the ASHA Convention, Robert browsed the exhibit area and got a picture taken with model and actress Jenny McCarthy. McCarthy was at the seminar to help in a booth that assists persons to overcome autism.
