I am the Student
Services Coordinator or "VP". I do lots of paperwork, mostly
related to getting services for the students based on their
needs. The 'VP' part of my job mostly includes subbing for
Sydney Freitas when she is not around and handling Health and Safety
issues at HCDB.
I have
been working in the field of deaf service since 1978, and have been at
HCDB since 1994.
I was born in Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, a "Blue Baby",
because I had difficulty breathing after I was born. I
literally turned blue. The popular legend is that I was born
on the world-famous Cyclone roller coaster and my ears popped as the
roller coaster was going down, so that is how I became Deaf.
As a toddler my mom raised me on the west side of Manhattan ("West Side
Story") and then we moved to where I grew up in South Bronx, "the worst square
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| SSC
Steve Laracuente In Action! |
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mile
of real estate in America", according to the New York Times in
1970.
When I was 8 years old (1960) I saw Hula girls dancing in front of
Diamond Head. Ever since then I wanted to move from America's
worst
neighborhood to America's best neighborhood. In 1988, my
dream came
true, thanks to my wife Margaret, who also works at HCDB as an
Educational Aide.
My number one favorite
hobby is music - listening and playing. I play bass guitar
and for the
last 4 years I have been learning to play rhythm and lead guitar,
thanks to Michael Kato of Kaneohe. I also play congas, since
that is
my spanish heritage as a Puerto Rican. I also enjoy model
trains with
scenery, buildings, cars and people set up on a board. For
exercise, I
enjoy basketball, football and baseball. For relaxation I
enjoy
tropical fish. My favorite place on Oahu is Mililani, because
it is
nice and cool up there with big fields to play sports in. My
favorite
author is Stan Lee, the author and creator of many great superheros
such as Spiderman, Hulk, Fantastic Four, X-Men, etc. |
