Beaverton nonprofit school is helping change lives for deaf kids, families

The sounds at SoundStart in Beaverton fill the space with laughter and play from the young students.

“We knew we needed to find an opportunity for Jo to be a kid. And SoundStart, with all of the resources, has really helped Jo grow leaps and bounds,” said Jennifer Arguinzoni-Ward.

Arguinzoni-Ward’s daughter Jolene is a patient and student at the nonprofit school and clinic, but the impact of the team is felt by their entire family.

“Just the other day, she looked at my husband and said, ‘Daddy, I love you.’ And my husband teared up and said, ‘I never thought I would hear my daughter say, ‘Daddy, I love you,’’ said Arguinzoni-Ward.

The mother said Dr. Shelby Atwill was able to identify a serious need.

Dr. Atwill is the pediatric audiologist at SoundStart.

She began seeing patients in the space before recruiting her mother and sister, both educators, to start the school section of the nonprofit.

Dr. Atwill finds joy in knowing the work they’re doing is making a difference with the students and patients they serve.

“We caught a child whose cochlear implant failed, and she had to get surgery. So, we noticed that because we can pay attention, we were tuned into that aspect, and that’s just something you don’t see in a general childcare or preschool setting,” said Dr. Atwill.

The work from the team at SoundStart doesn’t stop at the clinic and school level.

The team has worked on passing legislation at the Capitol.

“Parents weren’t aware of the risk of contracting congenital cytomegalovirus, which is a very common virus that most adults have, but when it’s contracted during pregnancy, it can cause a variety of issues,” said Anna Soverign, an associate at Oxley & Associates.

One of those issues includes helping with preventive healthcare.

The work done with lawmakers will help bring awareness for new parents.

The team at SoundStart wants the community to know that they take all types of insurance and are always welcoming new patients.

For more local stories, visit www.kptv.com