Erin Goodwin

is honored with a Brick from Eddy and Carole Goodwin.

This brick in the Plaza of Heroines is to honor the memory of our daughter, Erin Goodwin. Erin was born deaf but she did not let that stop her from making some amazing accomplishments. She had a strong desire to learn. She already knew how to read when she started kindergarten. All through school, she surprised her teachers with her knowledge and abilities, because most deaf students do not reach such high levels of academic development.

Teachers loved having her for a student because she worked hard, reaching beyond what was assigned, and always had her work finished when it was due. Erin always met challenges head on and tried to be the best she could. She took subjects such as chemistry, physics, algebra, and German. She participated in Scholars Bowl competitions, spelling bees, and had the lead part of her high school play.

Erin also exhibited artistic talent. Several of her paintings won first or second place at her high school art fairs. She earned many academic awards during high school and was the co-valedictorian of her high school graduating class. She graduated with a 4.0 grade point average.

She decided she wanted to be an engineer like her older sister. She chose to go to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, one of the colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. Erin was one of the few deaf students to attend the hearing college in their freshman year. One of the professors said that she was perhaps one of the brightest students he had ever taught.

She competed and won a spot on the College Bowl team as a freshmen, which was unusual because freshman usually could not make the team. At one competition, she challenged the answer to a question, so the judge checked it, and Erin was right!

Erin was in the process of adjusting to college, making new friends and planning her future when she had a fatal seizure on March 10, 1996. She was only 18 years old. Erin was a bright star whose light was dimmed too soon. We think Erin would be excited to be honored in the Plaza of Heroines with other important women. She loved to learn and she was admired for her achievements and qualities. She would be an inspiration to other persons with disabilities.

April 21, 1999