05-26-2006, 06:00 AM
http://www.standardspeaker.com/index.php...4&Itemid=2
Quote:
Gerald Soroko Jr. fiddled with the last button on his black tuxedo, stepped back to examine himself in the full-length mirror, then made a comment that had his mom giggling.
“I look just like James Bond,” he remarked. Soroko and his date, Kelly Marscalek, both graduating seniors from the Hazleton Area Career Center, attended Friday night’s Hazleton Area High School prom.
Gerry completed a course in business operations while Kelly, of Hazleton, completed one in career exploration.
Gerry, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome – a form of autism – at age 3, has made his mother mighty pleased with all of his accomplishments.
They have surfaced not only in school but in scouting, where he is an Eagle Scout as well as a loyal contributor to various fund-raising campaigns to help the physically or mentally impaired and the needy.
“I’m very proud of Gerry,” said his mom, the former Helen Anne Bzdil. “It’s totally overwhelming what he has accomplished.”
Then she chuckled.
“And he’s a social butterfly,” she said. “Gerry talks to everyone.”
Bill Gerhard, who teaches business operations at the career center, couldn’t say enough about one of his favorite students.
“Gerald is a special needs student who is loved by the entire staff,” he said.
And that encompasses teachers, staff and his fellow students.
Mom revealed the scope of her son’s many scholastic accomplishments.
“He was on the honor roll all the time, achieving either first or second honors,” she said.
Gerry is the only child of Helen Anne and the late Gerald T. “Norton” Soroko Sr., both of whom were natives of Freeland before, as a family, they moved to Drums.
Dad, who passed away four years ago, had been employed at White Haven Center for 31 years and climbed the ladder there before his sudden passing.
“First, he worked for the boiler plant, later became supervisor of the boiler plant and then was promoted to manager of the maintenance department,” said his widow.
Dad was well-known in local motorcycle circles because he was a devoted member of the Flying Aces Motorcycle Club.
He not only enjoyed the good fellowship but the club’s activities as well, being an active participant in all charity-raising events in which it participated.
Dad was intimately known as “Norton” because he owned and drove that model motorcycle as well as his first-love Harley that’s now stored away in the garage.
Dad’s interest in motorcycles is why Gerry, 18, has a deep affection for the sport.
And it was because his dad was an assistant scoutmaster of Troop 473, sponsored by the American Legion of Freeland, that Gerry got interested in scouting.
Last December, Gerry was became an Eagle Scout, its highest award.
Dad also was an avid aviator, piloting small planes and serving as an instructor for fledgling pilots at Hazleton Airport.
That’s why Gerry said he loves flying along with motorcycles.
“I rely on my dad’s friends to take me up,” he said with a grin.
Gerry also is an avid bowler, having begun bowling when he was only 4.
He bowls in the St. Michael’s Junior B League in Freeland, with Caroline DiNoia as the coach.
Mom said it has all helped Gerry immensely: the interest in scouting, motorcycles, airplanes and bowling.
During the awards ceremony at the career center Tuesday night, Gerry’s love for ’cycles increased a few notches when three members of the Flying Aces presented him with a special leather motorcycle vest with a one-of-a-kind patch on the back.
John “Jabber” Bytsura, Charles Bird and Bernie Mahon presented the special award.
The vest was given to Gerry “in memory of my husband but also in honor of Gerry’s accomplishments,” said his mom.
Her elation over her son’s many accomplishments helps her forget about that worrisome period 15 years ago when she first became aware that her son was suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome.
She enrolled Gerry in the Helping Hands Society pre-school program when he was not yet 4 years old.
“Later, Helping Hands connected with the school district to enroll Gerry in the right program,” she explained, emphasizing that it worked wonders she may never have thought possible.
Fifteen years ago, there obviously was great concern about Gerry’s future. One reason is because little was then known about autism.
However, a group of parents got together – along with the Sorokos – and formed a group that proved very helpful to all.
Now he has made his mom — and a whole lot of other people – proud.
Somewhere, Dad also must be wearing a smile.
“I look just like James Bond,” he remarked. Soroko and his date, Kelly Marscalek, both graduating seniors from the Hazleton Area Career Center, attended Friday night’s Hazleton Area High School prom.
Gerry completed a course in business operations while Kelly, of Hazleton, completed one in career exploration.
Gerry, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome – a form of autism – at age 3, has made his mother mighty pleased with all of his accomplishments.
They have surfaced not only in school but in scouting, where he is an Eagle Scout as well as a loyal contributor to various fund-raising campaigns to help the physically or mentally impaired and the needy.
“I’m very proud of Gerry,” said his mom, the former Helen Anne Bzdil. “It’s totally overwhelming what he has accomplished.”
Then she chuckled.
“And he’s a social butterfly,” she said. “Gerry talks to everyone.”
Bill Gerhard, who teaches business operations at the career center, couldn’t say enough about one of his favorite students.
“Gerald is a special needs student who is loved by the entire staff,” he said.
And that encompasses teachers, staff and his fellow students.
Mom revealed the scope of her son’s many scholastic accomplishments.
“He was on the honor roll all the time, achieving either first or second honors,” she said.
Gerry is the only child of Helen Anne and the late Gerald T. “Norton” Soroko Sr., both of whom were natives of Freeland before, as a family, they moved to Drums.
Dad, who passed away four years ago, had been employed at White Haven Center for 31 years and climbed the ladder there before his sudden passing.
“First, he worked for the boiler plant, later became supervisor of the boiler plant and then was promoted to manager of the maintenance department,” said his widow.
Dad was well-known in local motorcycle circles because he was a devoted member of the Flying Aces Motorcycle Club.
He not only enjoyed the good fellowship but the club’s activities as well, being an active participant in all charity-raising events in which it participated.
Dad was intimately known as “Norton” because he owned and drove that model motorcycle as well as his first-love Harley that’s now stored away in the garage.
Dad’s interest in motorcycles is why Gerry, 18, has a deep affection for the sport.
And it was because his dad was an assistant scoutmaster of Troop 473, sponsored by the American Legion of Freeland, that Gerry got interested in scouting.
Last December, Gerry was became an Eagle Scout, its highest award.
Dad also was an avid aviator, piloting small planes and serving as an instructor for fledgling pilots at Hazleton Airport.
That’s why Gerry said he loves flying along with motorcycles.
“I rely on my dad’s friends to take me up,” he said with a grin.
Gerry also is an avid bowler, having begun bowling when he was only 4.
He bowls in the St. Michael’s Junior B League in Freeland, with Caroline DiNoia as the coach.
Mom said it has all helped Gerry immensely: the interest in scouting, motorcycles, airplanes and bowling.
During the awards ceremony at the career center Tuesday night, Gerry’s love for ’cycles increased a few notches when three members of the Flying Aces presented him with a special leather motorcycle vest with a one-of-a-kind patch on the back.
John “Jabber” Bytsura, Charles Bird and Bernie Mahon presented the special award.
The vest was given to Gerry “in memory of my husband but also in honor of Gerry’s accomplishments,” said his mom.
Her elation over her son’s many accomplishments helps her forget about that worrisome period 15 years ago when she first became aware that her son was suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome.
She enrolled Gerry in the Helping Hands Society pre-school program when he was not yet 4 years old.
“Later, Helping Hands connected with the school district to enroll Gerry in the right program,” she explained, emphasizing that it worked wonders she may never have thought possible.
Fifteen years ago, there obviously was great concern about Gerry’s future. One reason is because little was then known about autism.
However, a group of parents got together – along with the Sorokos – and formed a group that proved very helpful to all.
Now he has made his mom — and a whole lot of other people – proud.
Somewhere, Dad also must be wearing a smile.
It's nice to read some positive news articles for a change(although the S-word was used once). Athough the question comes to midn, would this article have still been written if this person didn't have a 'disability'?