PHILADELPHIA (CNS) When she was in fifth grade, Jayda Pugliese realized that "something wasn't right." As a student at St. Mary Interparochial School in Philadelphia, she struggled to keep up in class. Her world was falling silent, due to a progressive disease that attacked her auditory nerves. Adept at lip-reading, Pugliese managed to pass regular hearing exams until her condition reached a crisis point, and her grades began to plummet. Now, 25 years later, Pugliese is the principal of St. Mary Interparochial, and an internationally recognized educational leader whose work blends sustainability and spirituality.
Catholic high school principal shows what s possible myspiritfm.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from myspiritfm.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Once a struggling student, Jayda Pugliese of St. Mary Interparochial School drew on her faith to battle hearing loss and returned to lead her alma mater, while gaining international recognition for her work.
The annual Mass drew hundreds of people with physical and intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, plus members of the Deaf community, April 24 at the Cathedral.