Five RIT/NTID students were named the university’s first Maguire Scholars. Pictured, from left to right, are Ethan Misal, Nathan Murray, RIT/NTID President Gerry Buckley, Cameron Carey, Trinity McFadden and Ty Brady. Photo credit: A. Sue Weisler
The Carver community abounds with successful students. Trinity McFadden achievements keep inspiring us all.
Trinity is a first-year criminal justice major at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is among the inaugural group of Maguire Scholars, an academically based scholarship valued at $5,000 per year. This is by no means the first scholarship awarded to Trinity. During her high school years at Brien McMahon High School she won a scholarship to study in Japan with the Center for Global Studies. Upon graduation in 2018, Trinity won many scholarships, including from Carver the DeAndre Parks Scholarship, which is given to the Carver student with the highest GPA. Other awards included the Norwalk Lions Club Scholarship, the Greenfield Everyday Heroes Award, and the BMHS Alumni Association Scholarship.
We just learned that Trinity is being recognized at her school’s annual Senior Luncheon. The seniors recognize one student from each class. Trinity also made the Dean's List with a 4.0 GPA, and she was invited to join the school’s Honors Program. Trinity is learning Russian sign language as an elective, and will be traveling to Russia for three weeks in May as part of the curriculum.
Years ago, we asked Trinity to write an essay about herself and her experience to date at Carver. Here is what she had to say. Read this and you’ll realize why she is a hero to many of us who know and admire her story.
My name is Trinity McFadden and I am a thirteen-year-old, eighth grade student at Ponus Middle School. I started in the Carver C.A.S.P.E.R program in the middle of my fifth grade year; I am now a member of the Junior Youth Development Program. I am a high honors student at Ponus with a 4.0 GPA, which means I have an A average.
I am a hard working, intelligent person and my school work is very important to me for many different reasons. In addition to wanting to make my family proud of me, I was born with a progressive hearing loss and, if you listen to me talk, you will notice that I speak with a lisp. When I talk, my tongue does not always move, which at times creates articulation challenges for me. Because of this it makes me a little hesitant whenever I am asked to give a speech. However, I refuse to allow this challenge to interfere with my goals and with my day-to-day functioning inside and outside of school.
Having speech and hearing concerns presents its own set of challenges for me, but these issues do not prevent me from pursuing my dreams and working hard in school and achieving.
Participating in programs at Carver make me forget about my speech and my hearing issues. At Carver, I am comfortable, everyone knows me, and it’s like a second family to me! The Carver staff and students accept me for who I am and they treat me the same as anyone else; they have high standards and expectations for me, regardless of my hearing and my speech issues. I try very hard to achieve success because I want to be a role model for other students who may have a disability. There are many students who may be deaf, have a hearing loss or are hard of hearing; I want them to know that they can also be successful despite their disability. I work hard at being a confident person to set an example for them as well as for others.
The Carver has played a major role in my life. I attended the C.A.S.P.E.R. program, the Junior Youth Development Program and I have also attended the Carver summer camp. I enjoyed being in the summer program; it was also a big benefit to my parents because they were able to find an affordable summer enrichment plus recreational program for me during the summer months while they worked. While enrolled in C.A.S.P.E.R. I learned Lacrosse, and I received a scholarship to attend Camp New Pond Farm in Ridgefield, CT. I was away from home for a week and we lived on a farm, and got a chance to see and care for the farm animals and eat fresh eggs. It was a great experience and I enjoyed it very much! Carver offers so many programs. For example, I am a member of LEAP, which is an amazing Leadership program, and I am so fortunate to have all of the opportunities Carver provides. I hope that my leadership inspires other students, particularly those with a disability, for many years to come.
All these years later, Trinity’s accomplishments and example indeed continue to inspire us all.