Jayna Altman had no intention of running for Miss International 2008 until someone suggested it to her. Then she looked into the pageant, liked what it stood for, and added it to her very long to-do list. Winning seemed a long shot, until the moment she felt the crown placed upon her head.

Born severely premature and profoundly deaf, Altman has made her life a testament to what she can do. Her Abilities First program raises awareness of disabilities and advocates for a world where everyone can reach their full potential. Recently Altman, her childhood friend, Leah Demeter, and ABILITY’s Chet Cooper met up in a Fountain Valley, CA, restaurant.

Cooper: Where did you two meet?

Altman: We met when Karen Rothwell-Vivian, an auditory-verbal therapist, developed a support group. There were six of us: three girls and three boys in the group, growing up together. The group was based in Tustin.

Demeter: Karen, who was our speech therapist, encouraged us to socialize and talk. She felt that socializing was an important part of therapy.

Altman: It was really neat having the support group as a base growing up; it was really influential and supportive. Over the years, I’ve noticed in working with kids who have hearing loss that some have never met anyone like themselves; they feel outcast, isolated or alone. When you meet someone else with hearing loss, you feel more accepting of who you are.

Demeter: Yes. It’s very difficult for me to be in the normal world with hearing loss, because I feel like I’m locked out of a lot of conversations. At a conference, for instance, if there’s a group of people all talking, I feel left out. So it’s nice to have somebody who can relate to all the challenges.

Cooper: You never learned sign language?

Demeter: No.

Altman: I learned it in college.

Cooper: What was your major in college?

Altman: I got a bachelor’s in communication from the University of San Diego, and I graduated with honors and distinction.

Cooper: And distinction?

Altman: To graduate with distinction, you have to be accepted into the honors program. On top of that, you have to do a PhD-level dissertation on a topic within communications. For my dissertation, I researched the communication levels between auditory verbal therapy, oral therapy, and total communication with children who received cochlear implants at the same age and had the same number of years in therapy. I compared the various communication levels based on age of implantation, years of therapy, how aggressive the therapy was, speech scores, language scores, and so forth, to determine how successful each of the modes of speech therapy were. There were so many different aspects to it, and I am glad I facilitated that research.

Cooper: How did you get involved in the Miss International pageant?

Altman: There was a director in the program who asked me to consider it about a year ago. So I took a look at it and thought, “Sure,why not?” I saw it as a hobby at first, but also a great way to be able to communicate with others regarding acceptance of disabilities. I believe each individual in life has different abilities; it’s just that some abilities, or what others view as disabilities, are more apparent than others. Some view hearing loss as debilitating, but it really isn’t. The most debilitating thing to have is a negative attitude, or to believe that we can’t do something no matter what we have going for us in life; that attitude can stop us from achieving our goals.

The Miss International organization provides a global platform to communicate that message through both my programs: Abilities First and I CAN: Inspiring Confidence in our Abilities Now. Both programs focus on early identification, education and knowledge, in addition to utilizing surrounding support services and a positive attitude to provide a roadmap for success in overcoming physical, mental and medical diagnoses.

I represented my home state as Miss Missouri at the pageant, which was a whirlwind of different events, different activities, public speaking and conferences. On top of the appearances, I was prepping for the national pageant in July 2008.

I was so excited to make top 10 at the national competition. I can’t say that I really planned for any success at Miss International. They have what’s called an on-stage interview portion where you have to wear an interview suit onstage. I didn’t bring a suit with me because I didn’t think I was going to make top 10. So Miss New Jersey actually--

Cooper: New Jersey!

Altman: Yes, New Jersey! Interesting enough, Miss New Jersey, Ashli Fivehouse, pulled me aside and said, “You’re going to be in the top 10.” I said, “No, no, I’m not. I can’t. I don’t have an onstage interview outfit.” She smiled at me and said, “You’re going to get called, and when you do, you can use mine.”

Cooper: Was it a bathing suit?

Altman: (laughs) No. So I said, “OK, but I think you’re going to make top 10. You have the perfect wardrobe, you’re gorgeous, you’re everything one would imagine a beauty pageant queen to be.” And she responded encouragingly, “No, no, no. You’re going to make it.” I was the second one called up in Top 10. I almost passed out, literally. I turned around to look at her, she gives me the thumbs up, and says, “Go get it.” So I had permission to wear her outfit; I didn’t even know what it looked like! It was just one of those cosmic events and you do it. It was a cute pink outfit. It looked perfect!

For my onstage interview they asked me, “As far as the educational system, do you think that federal grants should be used for individuals with disabilities?” I said something along the lines of “Yes, I believe wholeheartedly that federal grants should be used to provide an appropriate education for individuals with disabilities. Congress has committed to providing at least 30 percent of the funds for it, and has yet to fully meet that obligation. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the additional assistance I received in the school system.” The question totally threw me for a loop, because I wasn’t expecting a political question.

Cooper: Still, you had an opinion to share!

Altman: Of course I had an opinion, because advocating for disabilities is my life, and I’ve lived with hearing loss since I was a child.

Cooper: So you were cheating?

Altman: (laughs) I don’t know if I would necessarily call it “cheating!”

The next segment was fashion modeling, and my heel ended up getting caught in my dress. I’m hopping as I’m going on stage, trying to pull my dress out my heel. It was funny.

Cooper: I hate it when that happens!

Altman: (laughs) It was interesting. All I could do was laugh the entire time I was on stage. After all, what are you going to do? Again, I was just happy that I made the top 10, and my thoughts were, “This is awesome; this is cool.” After all the stages of competition were complete, we arrive to the crowning… the fourth runner up is called, who was Miss Oklahoma, then third runner up was Miss Oregon, and then the second runner up…. I thought if I was going to get anything it would be second runner up. However, they called Miss Arkansas as the second runner up.

Cooper: Don’t keep me in suspense any longer. Who won?

Altman: I’m getting there. So I think, “It’s going to be California; this is awesome!” Not that I’m negative; I’m trying to be realistic and not get my hopes up. My eyes are closed and I’m praying. I didn’t hear them call me. The girl next to me grabs me and starts shaking me, and my reaction is, “Oh, yay, who won?” And she said, “You did!” It was mind-numbing.

Cooper: Do you travel as Miss International?

Altman: Yes, year-round to the states and some international travel, working with a lot of charities whose focus is awareness of disabilities and serving individuals with various disabilities. I also do a lot of public speaking on educating the public on awareness of disabilities. I serve as a spokesperson for both the Special Olympics and Ability Beyond Disability. Both organizations serve individuals with a variety of disabilities, primarily intellectual or cognitive disabilities.

Cooper: Do you have a cochlear implant?

Altman: No. I have hearing aids. I wear either my behind-the-ear DaVinci PxPs or the new in-the-canal, Destiny 1200, both fitted by Starkey. I’m a candidate for a cochlear implant, but I decided against it for the time being.

Cooper: I see that you have a Blackberry.

Altman: Yes, I do. I call it my “Crackberry.”

Cooper: So because of the Blackberry you can get email quickly. Do you do email more than you send text messages?

Altman: A combination of both. Nowadays with the technology, it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a hearing loss. Everybody seems to be into email and texting, rather than picking up the phone and calling someone.

Cooper: Why aren’t you wearing your crown?

Altman: It’s getting fixed.

Cooper: You wore it out?

Altman: (laughs) No, I was signing the national anthem for a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. It was for the 15th anniversary of Deaf Awareness in Missouri. I had been wearing the crown but had taken it off, when an excited baseball fan accidentally hit it and one of the pieces broke off.

Cooper: Why Missouri?

Altman: I was accepted into its Washington University School of Medicine for my doctorate in audiology.

Cooper: Have you visited Missouri’s caves?

Altman: Yes, they have a lot of them, like the Jesse James caves.

Cooper: Was it his hide out?

Altman: I just know that they’re called the Jesse James caves. They are really cool.

Cooper: Most of them are underground?

Altman: (laughs) Yes, and we’ve got the Arch.

Cooper: Have you been in the Arch?

Altman: I love the Arch!

Cooper: I don’t like heights, and I’m a little claustrophobic, but going in there was cool.

Altman: Wasn’t it creepy when you go up the little elevator to the top of the Arch and it’s creaking the entire way?

Cooper: It was strange. I thought, I can’t believe they’re letting us do this! And then we’re looking straight down.

Altman: But on a clear day you can see so far out.

Demeter: What are you doing now, Jayna? I can’t keep up with you with your busy schedule.

Altman: I’m real excited because we have the World Winter Games for the Special Olympics in Boise, Idaho in February. They have a Global Youth Summit conference, which is aimed at educating youth on different kinds of disability, especially cognitive/intellectual disabilities. It focuses on how we’re going to transform the world; how our youth can play a central role in the worldwide community to change the perception of cognitive disabilities; and, how we can begin to create a sense of inclusion.

Demeter: Can we see your goal sheet?

Cooper: What is a goal sheet?

Altman: Here’s my little goal bag with “the big plan.” Last year I wrote out my 2008 goals, in terms of what I want to accomplish that year. I still have to do my 2009 goals.... continued in ABILITY Magazine

ABILITY Magazine Miss International Issue Feb/March 2009
Other articles in the Miss International issue include Senator Harkin — The Christopher Reeve Act; Day of Service — Of Kings & Presidents; Green Pages — Don’t Let Money Fly Out the Window; Humor — There’s Nothing Out there; Film Circuit— Reeling Through Sundance; Skiing — A Crash Course; Multiple Sclerosis — One Day At The Beach; Secret Life — Young Actors Get Their Due; George Covington — Don’t Look Now, Bambi’s Back; Christopher Reeve — His Foundation; His Champions;