Youth Jobs Program

* In response to “Taking What You Can Get” (editorial, Aug. 2), we feel very fortunate to have been able to hire 10 deaf and hard-of-hearing youths for the summer through the federally funded program that is provided through city programs and community organizations.

Our summer work program has been one of the House Ear Institute’s annual community outreach programs for the past eight years. We are now seeing our past participants overcome limited expectations established by others. Two alumni are attending law school at UCLA; one is at Dartmouth, one is a psychologist at a local hospital; and the rest of alumni are attending local colleges or Gallaudet University in Washington.

We feel proud that we were a “steppingstone” along their path to achieve their dreams. Imagine if no federal money was available to sponsor our program, our participants may never have had a chance to learn that they can do anything they want.

SCOTT BENSON

House Ear Institute, Los Angeles