Written by: Bailey Hemphill
Young Hero: Michaela Gibbons
M
ichaela Gibbons, 17, is a junior at Westside High School. She has three siblings—Jessica, Luke, and Drew—and two stepbrothers—Bayle and Braden. “Michaela is a born teacher and mentor,” says mom Jennifer Yannone. “She is so good with her younger brothers.” From an early age, Michaela aspired to be a special education teacher. Jennifer says that ever since Michaela was in elementary school, she has been drawn to working with children with special needs. “It just happened naturally. She was drawn to their kind, caring, unselfish personalities,” she says. After spending recesses with them, eating lunch with them, and helping them out in the resource rooms, Michaela became a mini-mentor to the children with special needs in her school. As soon as she was old enough, Michaela started volunteering time at the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute. This last summer, she was hired as a recreational technician and is currently considering a career in Occupational Therapy. When she started high school, Michaela worked around her busy class schedule and extracurricular activities to still be able to visit the Munroe-Meyer Institute, as well as work in the resource room at her school. For her sophomore class project, Michaela started a “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign. She and her group set up a booth to teach people about the negative effects of the word “retard.” They also went out to elementary schools to spread the message. “Michaela will stop anyone in their tracks if she hears the word—whether she knows them or not!” adds Jennifer. Despite sometimes being bullied over her choice of friends, Michaela hasn’t let anything stop her from growing closer to the students with special needs. In fact, she even took a student with special needs, who is also a close friend, to Homecoming with her last year. “It warmed my heart to see her giving [him] an opportunity that most kids take for granted!” says Jennifer. For her senior project next year, Michaela has set a goal to hold a dance clinic for girls with special needs, which she wants to call “Dance-ability.” Although it’s just in the beginning stages, Jennifer knows her daughter will put her whole heart into it. “As Michaela has grown, so has her passion. Helping the kids isn’t just fun or something to do—it’s who she is. “She says she learns so much from these kids. I don’t even think she realizes what she does for them,” she adds. “Michaela is an excellent role model for both children and adults. Her acceptance of all people with special needs is something everyone can learn from.” Jennifer adds that even her other children have become much more considerate after hearing stories from Michaela. “My other kids will correct people and are following in her footsteps by wanting to volunteer at Munroe-Meyer.”
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Jennifer says her daughter inspires her to be a better person every day. “The time and energy she puts into her passion—whether it’s at work, school, participating in charity events, or just her day-to-day drive—makes me put into perspective what can be done when you put your heart into [something].”
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• readonlinenow.com February 2013 • • • •
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