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October 28, 2003

YOUTH Focus - - Jodi Winkelmann

From: Brenham Banner Press, TX - Oct 28, 2003

By Jana Morgan/Staff Reporter

Jodi Winkelmann of Brenham is a senior at Brenham High School. She is the daughter of Rob and Sherrie Winkelmann and has two sisters, Jill who is 19, and Jan who is 12.

In school, she has been involved in Anchor Club for three years, National Honor Society for two years and is currently the public relations officer, Art Club for one year, Leo Club for one year, has been on the varsity swim team for four years and was recently named the second runnerup in the 2003 Brenham High homecoming court.

In the community, she is a member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Heritage Belles and has been in the Brenham Maifest for 16 years.

Some of Jodi's favorites include: movie, "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days;" color, pink; actor, Matthew McConaughey; actresses, Catherine Zeta Jones and Marlee Matlin; food, Dad's cooking; TV show, "Friends;" and music group, all of them.

€ What are your plans for college? "I plan on attending Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., which is a school for the deaf, or the University of Texas in Austin."

€ Where do you think you will be five years from now? "Finishing college and establishing a career."

€ Where do you think you will be 10 years from now? "I would like to have a stable career and I don't know if I'll be married or not."

€ What does this town need more than anything? "More places that teenagers can just hang out at and be with friends."

€ Is there someone who has inspired you to pursue your life's dreams or goals? "My mom and dad, because they have guided and supported me tremendously and they have taught me to face challenges head on and to never give up."

€ What do you think the number one problem with society is? "People lack faith in God and believe everything is in their control."

€ How do you think your generation can solve that problem? "Be more faithful and set the example for others by what we say and do."

€ Do you think your experiences have prepared you for adulthood? "Yes, my experiences have provided a good moral foundation that will lead to a successful future."

€ Do you think a college education is necessary to succeed in today's world? "Yes, a college education is necessary in order to obtain goals toward success."

€ What is your favorite thing about high school? "Swimming and friends."

€ What is your least favorite thing about high school? "Cliques."

€ What is your favorite subject? "I enjoy all of the subjects."

€ What advice do you have to offer this year's freshmen class? "Keep focused on doing the right thing and do not be overwhelmed by all of the choices."

€ What advice do you have to offer next year's senior class? "Stay focused and have fun because it goes by faster than you will ever know."

€ What are the qualities you look for in a boyfriend? "He has to be Christian, intelligent, honest, easygoing and not care about my deafness."

€ One thing I like to do is... "Vacation in Las Vegas."

€ One thing I dislike to do is... "Wake up early in the morning."

€ What do you like most about yourself? "I am a hard worker and I never give up."

€ If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? "I would be less stubborn and more confident in my abilities to communicate with people."

€ What is your philosophy in life? "Be thankful for blessings and use gifts and talents to do good things in the world."

€ If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money? "I would give some to my family and church and then I would like to build a hotel in Las Vegas, lastly I would invest it for college and contribute some to neurological studies."

€ If you could be world famous, what would you be famous for? "Curing cancer."

€ The best advice I ever got was... "When the times are rough, remember that things happen for a reason."

€ My most treasured possession(s) is/are... "My family and all of the memories we share."

€ What is your biggest accomplishment? "Living happily with my disability and being second runner up in the 2003 homecoming court."

€ What is one good book/movie you recommend others read/see? "The Great Gatsby."

€ What are your feelings on school prayer? "I think prayer is important, but it should not be forced on students. A moment of silence is good for each day so students can pray or think about something that is on their minds."

€ If you could meet a famous person, who would it be and why? "I would meet my late grandfather, Dr. Robert A. Winkelmann, because I enjoy hearing lots of interesting stories about him and how he accomplished many things."

€ If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? "Germany, because I would want to learn more about my ancestors."

€ If you could live in any time period, when would it be? Why? "The present, because of the technology of the cochlear implant that helps me to hear."

€ If you could ask a youth focus question, what would it be? "Do you think deaf people can do anything that hearing people can do?"

€ How would you answer it? "Definitely yes!"

Copyright © 2003 The Brenham Banner Press.