The American Girl doll company has a fantastic lineup of dolls that inspire young girls. These dolls feature a back story that helps to teach valuable life lessons to girls while assisting them in growing with confidence. Recently, the American Girl company presented Joss Kendrick, a girl with hearing loss, as the American Girl doll of 2020.
Introducing Joss Kendrick
Joss Kendrick is an athlete with a hearing loss. Her interests include surfing and competitive cheerleading. While surfing and tumbling, Joss demonstrates to girls the significance of attempting new challenges, getting past stereotypes, and the importance of being a good team player. American Girl is bringing in 17-year-old surfing prodigy Caroline Marks to help spread Joss’s message that passion and hard work can take young girl’s places.
Her Story
A product of Surf City USA, Joss hails from Huntington Beach, California. Joss loves to surf any chance she gets. Her brother urges her to try out for the competitive cheer team, which Joss does, thinking it will be easy. Expecting pom-poms and chants, Joss is shocked to find pyramid formations, flips, and jumps. She thinks about her surfing rules, which include giving respect to get respect and applies it in the gym. Joss discovers many new things about herself and what she is capable of achieving.
Joss Activities
Fans of American Girl can take part in several Joss activities. Girls can listen to a weekly online series called meet Joss, view Joss-inspired music videos, DIY crafts, doll hair features, and other videos on the YouTube Kids channel. The dedicated Joss play site offers girls book excerpts, games, quizzes, wallpaper, and many other fun things.
Inspiration For The Doll
In their design of Joss, the staff at American Girl assembled a team that includes surfers, cheerleaders, and hearing loss experts. The design team includes:
- Crystal DaSilva, a deaf shortboard champion.
- Sara Jo Moen and Julie Peterson, who are owners of a cheerleading training gym
- Sharon Pajka, Ph.D. a specialist in the portrayal of deaf characters in adolescent literature
- Jennifer Richardson, Au.D. founder of Hearing Milestones Foundation
- Bianca Valenti, a professional big-wave surfer
American Girl Donation
To honor Joss, American Girl and the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) are donating $25,000 to support the HLAA’s education and awareness programs. American Girl is also supporting the HLAA’s 2020 Walk4Hearing, which is in its 15th year. The walk promotes hearing health and living with hearing loss. On January 1, 2020, the company began collecting donations for HLAA at americangirl.com and American Girl stores nationwide. Joss is an 18-inch doll with long brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a swimsuit, hoodie, shorts, and a hearing aid in her right ear. The Joss doll and accompanying book retail for $98. Available Joss products include a surfboard, swim gear, cheer outfits, and an English bulldog.
Let Joss inspire you to get your hearing checked. Schedule a hearing evaluation today with a hearing healthcare professional and live life to its fullest potential.
