While going through his future college options, young Mr. Caleb Holman was told by many of his teachers that he would not make it. They told him it would be a waste of time to go.
However, his civics teacher, Mr. Bob Ormac, encouraged him to apply. “He saw what I could do, not what I couldn’t. He said I was gifted in law and politics and taught me how to play to my strengths,” Mr. Holman said. He then applied to and ultimately graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Philosophy of Public Policy and Ethics, as well as a minor in Political Science.
For Mr. Holman, earning a degree was a challenge, as he suffers from dyslexia and also from Wagner’s disease. These conditions prevent from reading and forming words. The skills that one takes for granted are everlasting troubles for him.
However, he has liberated himself from such problems through the usage of auditory technologies. A combination of three programs – Dragon Naturally Speaking, Read and Write Gold, and Open Book – helps Mr. Holman completely read and understand texts. Dragon Naturally Speaking translates his spoken words into text and vice-versa; this software is the substitute to typing and reading. Read and Write Gold and Open Book enable him to scan books into his laptop and skim through them at will.
He recalls the moment he first bought himself a scanner and was able to read independently. With tears in his eyes, he said, “It was the first time I could step inside a library without the help of my mother. I stayed up all night and all morning, reading everything I could. I was surrounded by books stacked five feet high.
“Although my dyslexia did not go away, the significance of reading changed for me. I was able to understand the meaning behind the funny little shapes called letters. Imagine you were gifted wings and could fly like everyone else around you, how would you feel?”
Currently, he works as a dorm parent at Clifton Hostel, runs the woodshop and is also the head of the Water Safety Team. He spends a majority of his day at the swimming pool, cautiously encircling it to ensure everyone’s safety, and if there is any unsafe behavior he instantly breaks up it up with a shrill whistle. When matters get out of control, Mr. Holman actually pounces on top of students and momentarily drowns them into the pool to teach them a lesson. He inherited such discipline from formerly working as a firefighter and also being a member of several rescue squads. He said, “My previous experiences have given me a huge toolbox to choose from. I am quite an expert at saving lives.”
Mr. Tim Raby, Hostel supervisor, believes that Mr. Holman is a vital dorm staff member. He said, “Firstly, he is a very dedicated dorm parent and he is very professional. This job is very people-oriented, and Mr. Caleb is extremely dedicated to his students. He has also introduced and taken initiative for many programs such as the woodshop, swim team, outdoor club, unit meals, pool safety and lifeguard training. He is a valuable member of the Hostel team.”
Growing up with a unique condition, Mr. Holman was subjected to judgment and did not receive much help. He remarked that he was often discouraged by those around him. He said, “My own teachers would say things like ‘Why waste the morning with Caleb? He can’t even write. He’ll definitely fail.’ They had no idea how powerful words actually are.”
With this in mind Mr. Holman always makes sure not to judge too quickly. He said, “If a student is slacking off, I am not pissed, I am curious. I always ask the question ‘Why?’ before a student is judged or labeled. I do my best to help them out because I know how it feels.”
Martin Softing, a Grade 11 student, said, “Some people think differently of Mr. Caleb, but once you get to know him, he is a really cool guy. I always talk to him about my personal problems and he always helps me by encouraging me to study.” Mr. Holman can usually be seen roaming about the dorm and helping students.
“I felt like I was a second-class citizen. I felt like I needed to prove to the world that I had a right to live,” Mr. Holman said. “The Wright brothers were told they could not fly, Gandhi was told he cannot have an independent India, Einstein was told that he could not go to college and yet they did. In the same way they told me I cannot read, I cannot go abroad, I cannot survive in the real world.”
However, now he does read, he is working abroad in India and is living in the real world. He said, “The definition of the word ‘cannot’ changed for me. Cannot is not an impossibility, it means that to survive one must be creative in order to reach their goal.”
Mr. Holman has many plans set aside for the future. He said, “I hope to have the Water Safety Program fully set up so that it can be run without my assistance. I will also work on getting a Master’s Degree in Counseling. Finally I hope to, one day, have a family.” As he sets to achieve these dreams, the only difference is that, this time there is no one to tell him that he cannot.
That's right, you can give the gift of mobility for a mere $3 and we will match it by sending a pair of crutches, cane, or walker, at our expense.
In September I spent a week participating in this dialog - between an American delegation and 16 imams (Muslim clerics) from Algeria. It was inspiring, humbling, hopeful, and complex. It was also physically exhausting as we stayed in a refugee camp.