By: Eli Duah-Mensah

Each month, the Heritage Herald will focus on a student from our exceptional children’s program for our series “Student Spotlight!” This month, we interviewed Audrey!

This series aims to bring more visibility to people with disabilities in our school. Often, people with disabilities are hidden in literature and academia. When people are included in writing and social activities, it helps deliver a sense of belonging and can enhance the productivity and enjoyment of the group as a whole! If you read about someone you’d like to be friends with, and they’re comfortable with it, try to talk to them! Without further ado, here’s the interview!

What is your name?

Audrey Newkirk!

How old are you?

19!

What grade are you in?

I’m in my junior year! Next year I’ll be a senior, and I’m super excited! What I’m most excited for is graduation day and being able to go to college!

So, what are your future plans?

  I’m going to Wake Tech for a few years; it’s close to my house, and I’ll be an in-person student. I’ll get my Associate’s degree from there, and I’m most excited for my new classes and making new friends! I’m also looking forward to riding the bus — it’ll take me from my house to the college, which I think will be pretty cool. I really like IP time here at Heritage, as well as math, science and social studies classes. So I’m just thinking of taking everything at Wake Tech.

How would you describe yourself? (What are some things you’d like our readers to know about you?)

I’m loving, I’m helpful to my friends, I’m smart and caring. I’d also say I’m pretty confident and brave. [For example] when I get shots, I’m not scared of needles.

Do you have a story about how classes have been the past few weeks? (What have you been learning in class, how are you liking it so far?)

It’s very fun on Fridays, because we have cooking and free time! But I also like to learn in general, so I suppose it’s always nice. 

What is your favorite game?

Skyjo and the memory game. With Skyjo, you have 12 cards, and you have to get the lowest score.  You can’t look at your cards with Skyjo, except for two in the beginning–it’s super fun. With the memory game, you flip two cards, and if they’re the same you keep it, and if one is different you leave it.

What are your hobbies?

I love doing puzzles, going to church, working out, and playing with my guinea pigs. I’ve had them for four years now. I have four guinea pigs: two boys and two girls. Sugar and Spice, Flash (he died) and Chip. I like to work out my legs, biceps, shoulders and calves. My favorite sport is basketball; I can do a bunch of three-pointers. I usually weight lift at Planet Fitness; I can lift 90 lbs with my legs, 45 on each leg. I also like to play tennis; I just started playing, but I’d say I’m doing pretty well. I like to do 500 piece puzzles, but sometimes I do 1000. 

Is there any recent moment you are proud of that you would like our readers to know?

I’ve worked at KinderCare for about a year! KinderCare is a day-care center. I clean up (sweep, clean tables, clean play areas) and help the kids play on the playground. I document when the kids are picked up by their parents on the IPad. I’m a floater, so I work whenever they need me. 

Who’s your favorite Disney princess/ What’s your favorite Disney movie?/ What’s your favorite movie? 

I like Frozen 2, so Elsa and Anna. I also like Moana from Moana, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Rapunzel from Tangled. I really like the movie Bolt too!

If you were an animal or plant, what kind of animal or plant would you be and why? 

A lion, because I’d roar, I’d be a carnivore and eat other animals. If I were a plant, I’d be a flower, because I’d help the honeybees.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Washington, D.C. I’m curious — I’ve never been there before. I’d also want to see where the presidents were, the White House, the different monuments–I just think it’d be a great learning experience. I’d also like to go to Hawaii because of the beaches and the tropical fruits. It’s just this cool tropical island, and I think I’d have fun there. 

What is your favorite song?

I love Disney songs, specifically songs off The Lion King soundtrack. I love the song “You Say” by Lauren Daigle, and the song “King of Kings” by Hillsong Worship. My favorite kind of music is gospel music! 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Ice power, like from The Incredibles, so I could freeze people, but then I’d also be willing to unfreeze people, so I’d have that power too.

What is your most prized possession?

My puzzles are my prized possession, as well as my phone! I like to learn languages, so I play Spanish games on my phone. I like to go on FaceBook too. Finally, I like Happy Color, which is a coloring game–it’s very relaxing! 

What is your favorite random fact?

I like learning about anything! I also have a dog, his name is Blitzen, and he’s a black lab mix. I’ve had my dog for about five years, he’s six now. He’s my first dog. We have a second dog named Lacy, she’s really fluffy, and we’ve had her for eight weeks. She’s very hyper!

What is your favorite joke?

I made up this one joke! Here it is:

“Knock knock” 

“Who’s there?”

“Tank”

“Tank who?”

“‘You’re welcome.”

All “jokes” aside, my favorite joke is:

Why did an old man fall in a well?

Because he couldn’t see that well!

What’s your favorite piece of clothing?

I really like boots and shoes, as well as sweatshirts. I also like dresses, like pink with flowers, or blue ones. I also like to wear earrings; my favorite ones I own are these ones that look like s’mores. 

What’s your best childhood memory?

Me and my brother on the beach; we were boxing together! I remember we got lost on the beach, but our parents found us, so it was alright. We still go during the summer to Myrtle Beach. We also sometimes go to Michigan or Florida because we have family in Michigan. But out of all of those places, my favorite places to go are to the mountains and Michigan. I like the streets, the trees, and the snow in Michigan. One time, the snow was super deep, but it was still fun. Sometimes, I miss my childhood.