Being hearing-impaired means you have a lot to prove, teen has learned

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BEING HEARING-IMPAIRED MEANS YOU HAVE A LOT TO PROVE, TEEN HAS LEARNED

Center Grove graduate had to get past quite a few obstacles to get to Purdue.

July 10, 1995

Some people consider being hearing- impaired a condition that forces an individual to give up a "normal" life and live in a world of special attention and handicaps.

Children's Express talked to Katie Wodicka, 17, who is hearing impaired, about these views and what her life is like. Katie has some hearing ability and leads a fairly normal life.

She was preparing to attend Center Grove High School's prom the day she spoke to Children's Express. She will start at Purdue University in the fall.

CE: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

KATIE: Be with my friends, play volleyball, be with my family.

CE: Who is your role model?

KATIE: Probably Heather Whitestone, because she overcame her disability to become Miss America.

CE: What was your dream as a child?

KATIE: One of them was to be a marine biologist, and that I'm going to do. And the other one was to be a successful person and (have) people treat me as a normal person, and I've accomplished that.

CE: What is a normal day for you like?

KATIE: At school, looking at my teachers, making sure I understand the assignments from the night before, working hard, seeing all my friends, having a good time. Just like other normal kids, except I have to work harder.

CE: What kind of obstacles have you had to overcome?

KATIE: Lots of them. I've had people put me down because of my disability. I've had to prove to so many people that I'm not dumb. It's hard for me, or any other disabled person, to prove to the others of the world that disabled people can achieve just as much as anyone else.

CE: Do you ever feel annoyed at hearing loss?

KATIE: Yeah, I feel annoyed. I'll tell you a story from when I was in third grade. All my friends were talking on the phone and I couldn't and I cried, cried, cried, and was so mad at myself, so mad at everybody. Finally my dad said, "Katie, you have two choices in life: Accept your disability and be happy, or be miserable for the rest of your life." Why should I waste my time in idiocy and be miserable every day?

CE: Is there any time you feel really proud of all that you have accomplished?

KATIE: Yeah, meeting Miss America (for the STARS award) made me feel really, really proud. But other times I feel proud when I'm competing against normal kids, like in an essay contest, and I win it. That really makes me feel proud because I'm disabled and they're not and I overcame my obstacles to beat them and that really makes me feel good.

CE: If you had three wishes, what would they be?

KATIE: I want one of them to be at least to hear better than I can hear now. The other, I don't know - world peace, I guess. EDITED BY: Aaron Shackelford, 16, and Amber Bollman, 16.

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