Joey DiRocco

Empowerment Award

For Joey, it all started in 3rd grade at Swallow Union Elementary. Kids were just getting back into the school routine since COVID had sent them all home for remote learning. On top of having to get used to the masks and social distancing, navigating the classroom presented an extra challenge for Joey. He was born with congenital nystagmus, septo optic dysplasia, and cerebral vision impairment. Luckily, Joey’s teacher connected him to Kristi Voelkerding, an Assistive Technology Specialist at ESMA, who worked with him to find solutions to improve his ability to participate in class. Kristi taught him how to use Assistive Technology devices, including an iPad, text-to-speech software, and a scope to access learning materials. Joey’s perseverance and demonstrated success in gaining independence in the classroom earned him ESMA’s 2021 Pioneer Award. He was presented the award by ESMA President & CEO, Paul Medeiros, in front of all his classmates. At his elementary school graduation ceremony, Joey was selected to give a speech where he described his favorite Swallow Union memory: winning the Pioneer Award and receiving the trophy that was even taller than him.

As a middle schooler, Joey has always been thinking about how he could give back to ESMA. When the idea of creating an all-natural, tasty hydration drink for kids was born from a dinner conversation about unhealthy ingredients in sports drinks, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Joey and his family met with several beverage development companies and even took a trip to Los Angeles, CA, to identify their perfect partner. They chose Flavorman, a Kentucky-based development company that outshone the rest. Over several months, Flavorman’s Beverage Architects collaborated with Joey to develop SparkLytes, a line of flavored hydration drinks that prioritize all-natural ingredients and sweeteners. SparkLytes will be available in six flavors: peach mango, lemon-lime, blue raspberry, blueberry lemonade, cherry, and orange. Currently, Joey is working on label graphics and packaging so his pilot production batch will emulate his final product. Then, his next big step will be appealing to investors and fundraising to bring the drink to production.

SparkLytes’ brand mission is to encourage consumers to spread kindness, raise disability awareness, and promote a healthy lifestyle. Joey envisions a successful venture that will allow him to give back to Easterseals Massachusetts.