2008 MANY STORIES ONE VOICE ONLINE COLLECTION

Marshall Hohmann, Age 16, Canada

Click HERE to download the story in Microsoft Word format

Marshall is a 16 year old with Cerebral Palsy.  He uses a Dynavox 3100 with visual scanning and one head switch to access his Dynavox.  He is in process of upgrading to a Vmax.  For writing, Marshall uses a laptop with Kurzweil and WiVik as an onscreen keyboard for scanning with his switch.  Marshall is finishing grade 9 in a mainstream high school where he completes his course work with the assistance of an educational assistant.  Due to the physical demands of completing his school work through scanning, single switch access... etc, he also works at home alot with his mother, siblings and support workers to complete his school work.  This poem was one he wrote as part of his grade 9 academic level English course. 

  

Marshall: An Inventory of Being

 

I am Marshall.

 

I like to play hockey and skate.

I am a good writer.  I like to write

     action stories in my free time. 

 

I like ice cream but I don’t like Hot dogs.

 

I love God.

 

I want to go to Germany but I will never

    set foot in the Sahara desert because it

    is too dry there.

 

I have a puppy named Buddy and he

    is cute.

I don’t like hearing the orchestra play.

I like going to the zoo.

 

I like going to the eye doctor and

   visiting the dentist but I won’t

   wear my reading glasses.

 

I don’t have wisdom teeth yet.

And I hope that I will never get them.

 

I like running.

I like playing video games in my spare time.

 

I am 16 years old.

 

I love my computer.  I hate when it freezes.

I can drive a power chair.

 

I like monkeys and baboons.

I like going in my walker to get coffee.

And I like to drink it.

 

I like jazz because it is cool.

 

Let’s move on.

 

I like spitting oatmeal at my mother.

I like riding my bike.

I want to be a computer technician

    and a songwriter.

 

I get annoyed when people talk to

    me right in my face.

I had that today.

 

I have an older brother and a younger

    brother as well as a sister

    who loves me like crazy.

 

I am a big fan of the Toronto Maple

     Leafs, even though they didn’t make

     the Playoffs.

 

My name is Marshall and I am a Christian.