PEOPLE

Students: Stories of Triumph

Meet Donella Tuia


I was born with congenital cataracts, and as I grew up I developed glaucoma. When I was 18, my teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) told me about The Hatlen Center, and I was very interested. I was ready to try to live on my own. My TVI called The Hatlen Center and arranged for a tour. When I found out that students pay their own rent and other bills and have their own apartments, I was hooked. Also, the curriculum interested me because I wanted to finish learning Braille, improve my Orientation and Mobility and technology skills, and understand how to manage my own finances. I moved into my apartment the summer after I graduated from high school.

When I first got here, I was really excited because I was moving into my own place and actually starting my own life without my family being involved in my decision making. However, I didn’t think that I would actually make friends, because I didn’t know anyone who was coming here. When I don’t know people, I am very, very shy. But then Patti Maffei, the Program Director, called me and asked me if it was ok for her to give my phone number to my roommate and vice versa, so we could get to know each other a little, and I said that was fine. It actually helped meeting my roommate before we moved in with each other because she made it easier for me to talk to some of the people that she knew. Also, it turned out that I already knew one of the teachers, Meggie, and I was really excited she was here! I got very comfortable with all the teachers very fast.

While I was at The Hatlen Center, I finished learning my Braille, which was very awesome. In fact, my Braille teacher, Myra, was very confident in my Braille skills and recommended to Patti that I help teach while she was on maternity leave. Until I came to The Hatlen Center, I would never use my cane unless I was with my O&M instructor, but I have gained so much confidence in my independent travel skills that now I use my cane all the time, I use my monocular, I use public assistance, and I use public transportation. When I first got here, I didn’t understand anything that had to do with SSI, but about a month before I moved out of the Center, I went to the Social Security office and I dealt with my SSI all by myself. That’s when I knew that I had the skill to deal with my own financial situation.

If people want to improve their independence or gain their independence, they should consider The Hatlen Center, and don’t be anti-social when you come because you could miss out on a lot of fun!