1 month ago
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MADERA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Visually impaired since birth, Gia Ward has ne'er fto constricted show specify her imaginativeness for life. She's a standout student, musician, and relation model, showing that challenges don't person to beryllium obstacles.
“I deliberation what's motivated maine is astir apt conscionable similar chasing my passions for music, and adjacent though I'm blind, I could inactive bash anything, you know," said Ward.
Her passionateness for euphony motivated her to go a percussionist successful the school's marching band. For Band Director Ryan Dirlam, helium says there's not a azygous situation that Gia has not overcome.
"Challenges that were presented to Gia that someway were not challenges to her, she conscionable said 'I'm going to marque my beingness beryllium the champion beingness due to the fact that I merit my champion life,'" said Dirlam.
In summation to her philharmonic talents, Gia excels academically, taking AP and dual enrollment classes. Gia’s longtime aide, Tracy Harlow, has supported her since the 2nd grade, attending each people with Gia.
"She works doubly arsenic hard arsenic everyone other conscionable to summation entree to her materials, her music, and she ever has the astir unthinkable affirmative attitude. She's bright, she's autarkic and she genuinely is simply a superb young lady," said Harlow.
With graduation astir the corner, Gia is preparing for her adjacent section astatine Fresno State, wherever she plans to survey euphony composition. But her interaction at Matilda Torres High School will past acold beyond her clip successful the classroom, teaching different students a invaluable lesson.
"I tin spot that she teaches them that there's nary limitations. You tin bash anything," said Cecilia Reyes-Murillo, a assets teacher astatine the school. "It doesn't substance wherever you travel from, it doesn't substance what disabilities you have, you tin bash anything."
Gia isn't conscionable marching toward graduation, she's marching toward her dreams, and she's proving to each of america that the lone existent bounds is the 1 you take to judge in.
