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Student doesn't let impairment slow her down

Decatur Daily (AL) - 10/21/2014

Oct. 21--Julia Beach cannot see out of her right eye and has limited vision in her left eye.

But the impairment doesn't prevent the 16-year-old Austin High junior from continuing her lifelong passion of ballet and pointe dancing, and planning a future, perhaps in the business world.

"There really hasn't been anything I wanted to do that I couldn't do," she said. "I may just do it differently than other people."

Beach is among 10 individuals and/or companies who will be honored Wednesday during the North Alabama Area Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities luncheon. The event starts at 11:30 a.m. at Turner-Surles Community Research Center, 702 Sycamore Street N.W.

Beach, who did a six-week summer internship at the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services in Decatur, will receive the Youth Leadership Award.

Beach's mother, Shirlee Beach, said her daughter was born with bilateral congenital cataracts in each eye.

"We had the cataracts removed shortly after her birth at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, but glaucoma started when she was 10 months old. She was 2 when she lost the vision in her right eye, and she has always had limited vision in the left eye."

But she said people who don't know her daughter has a vision impairment wouldn't know it by her actions.

"She has no limitations," Shirlee Beach said. "She has always surprised everyone at what she wanted to do, what she was capable of doing and what she does. We have a lot of fun, and Julia is a big part of it. She taught her parents a lot more than we ever taught her."

Dena Dodd, senior rehab counselor at the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, said she assists those with visual impairment to obtain or maintain their employment.

"In Julia's case, since she is in high school, we'll be doing a lot of transition events with her and programs related to career development in college," Dodd said.

Dodd said what struck all of the employees about Julia is that she took the initiative to assist her coworkers in new techniques about office equipment.

"She filed, answered the phones and assisted the counselors in maintaining their folders," Dodd said. "She is very professional, well spoken and a delight to work with."

Julia, who began taking ballet at age 3, said she doesn't let her vision impairment factor into everything she does.

"A lot of people would probably say, 'Oh, I can't do that,' " she said. "My approach is to do your best."

Julia will be an Italian marzipan in the December production of "The Nutcracker" by Dances Inc. at the Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts.

"I love to sing, and I'm in Show Choir at Austin," she said. "I love any type of music, but I'm a big Frank Sinatra fan."

Julia said her mom and her older sister, Rachel, a senior at the University of South Alabama, are her role models. Her other sister, Sarah, is in eighth grade at Cedar Ridge Middle School.

"I'm planning on going to college, and I'm looking at South Alabama and considering a major in something business oriented," she said.

Julia said if she needs something, she compensates for her vision problem by asking someone.

"I don't let it become an obstruction," she said.

Omar Smith, business relations consultant at the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, said the awards luncheon has grown from a reception in 2011 to the luncheon it is today because of community involvement.

"And the luncheon has grown from about 50 people in attendance to more than 200," Smith said. "We're a non-profit, and we get grants and donations from different businesses to fund the luncheon."

Ronnie Thomas can be reached at 256-340-2438 or rthomas@decaturdaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DD_RonnieThomas.

Award Recipients

The awards for the North Alabama Area Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities event will go to:

--Youth Leadership Award, Julia Beach, Austin High School junior.

--Employer of the Year, Small Business, Matthew Lucas, of Hanceville, who works at an Exxon service station and convenience store.

--Employee of the Year, Large Business, Preston Moore, K-Mart, Hanceville.

--Employer of the Year, Small Business, AONECLEANING LLC, a janitorial service headquartered in Huntsville that does work in Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone counties. Kyle Leslie is the owner.

--Employer of the Year, Large Business, Vantage Management, Hartselle, owner Lowell Barron.

--Educator of the Year, Donna Flannagan, special educator coordinator, board of education, Lawrence County Schools System.

--Advocate of the Year, Lillian Butler, senior vocational rehab counselor, Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

--Partnership of the Year, North Alabama Center for Educational Excellence, Decatur.

--Media of the Year, WYAM-TV 51, Decatur.

--Public Service Award, Decatur Mayor Don Kyle.

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(c)2014 The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.)

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