Viterbo student Jessica Winker will walk across the stage of the Fine Arts Center Main Theater at Viterbo University on Saturday because she didn’t let a disability stand in her way.
“She does not make excuses for herself,” Donna Benden, academic adviser in education at Viterbo. “She is the perfect model of a student that has direction and does whatever she has to do in order to achieve the goal.”
In kindergarten, Winker was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Retested at 22, she was told the earlier diagnosis was wrong and she instead had dysphonetic dyslexia, a form that makes it difficult to link sounds to words. Her math, reading and writing skills also were at an eighth-grade level.
The news was a relief, Winker said, because she finally understood why her brain mixed up words and it took so long to read and do homework.
The psychologist was amazed Winker had made it so far in school. She had learned how to memorize and use other strategies to adapt to the dyslexia. In fact, she adapted so well she had graduated from high school with a 3.5 grade point average.
The dyslexia obviously
didn’t slow her down in college, either.
The 25-year-old will graduate from Viterbo University with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education, a liberal studies degree and an early childhood minor.
Since starting at Viterbo in 2003, Winker had commuted from Mauston, Wis., five days a week for classes, except the year in which she had her baby, Thomas.
Winker initially couldn’t get into Viterbo’s education program because she was unable to pass the state entrance exam, so she had to change her major. She decided later to take the test a fourth time and, with the help of a writing tutor, passed it in December 2005.
Once in the program, Winker had more “hoops to jump through,” such as signing a contract that she would meet with a writing specialist two to three days a week.
She also had to pass the second phase of the state exam, which she managed to do on her third try in August.
Winker will finish student teaching and turn in an example of a class unit she taught to complete her elementary education degree. She can begin substitute teaching as soon as Jan. 24.
Benden thinks Winker will make a wonderful teacher and good role model for students.
“She will instill in them that confidence, work ethic and goal orientation she has,” said Benden.
Winker already has made a difference for children: During her 100 hours of classroom observation in the education program, Winker recognized dyslexia in a young girl. The girl would write letters backwards and read certain words wrong, just as Winker had, she said.
Winker is happy to know the girl will be able to improve her reading and writing. She now looks forward to making a difference for others.
“I am excited to be a teacher and inspire children’s minds,” she said. “I could teach for free if I didn’t have to pay the bills. Kids make it worthwhile, worth life and worth everything I’ve gone through.”
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
Dyslexia can’t stop dream of teaching
