Professional Development

2008 Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education

Tom DeFrange, Akron, OH

Tom DeFrange has created activities for mental health patients where none existed, and went on to become an administrator of the facility. He has created a play to bring people together that was performed in 34 different states and 3 countries. He has written songs and skits and performed for a singing telegram company. He joined the Summit Academy Schools for Alternative Learners in Ohio as a music teacher, and today he is the director of creative resources and of the commotional learning workshop. The Summit Academy Schools works with 3,000 students with ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome and other related non-verbal learning disabilities.

He refers to himself as a teacher, musician, singer, composer, play write, illustrator and videographer. He uses different approaches that capture the attention and imagination of students, and he teaches so that his students grow personally, socially and academically.

Tom has developed many applications and programs for his students. These include a collection of math exercises on DVD and CD with music, reading lessons interspersed with video games, an instructional DVD about Ohio history, a 3-part DVD to teach American sign language and Chinese, Project STEP (Student Talents Enrichment Program) where students are able to explore personal skills, talents, hobbies and abilities and showcase these to other students, and many more.

“Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” certainly applies to me,” said Tom. He has been fortunate to find a career where he utilizes all of his diverse talents to help his students learn. He tells us that he has gotten through life on the strength of his creativity, and that may very well be true. Tom knows his students well as he himself has ADHD and only completed high school. During the Heartspring Award summer session, we had the opportunity to see the energy and imagination of his many talents.