CHS graduate plans career as interpreter for hearing-impaired
Graduating senior Danielle Steele was one of those students who didn't figure prominently in news items coming from Centre High School. She wasn't active in sports or other school activities and didn't receive many awards.
However, the 18-year-old woman has carved a path for herself which is sure to lead to success. Her goal is to become a state certified interpreter for the hearing-impaired.
Danielle lives with her mother, Debbie Steele, at Pilsen and has a 16-year-old deaf brother, Shawn, who lives with their father, Mark Steele, at Lawrence.
Her relationship with Shawn has influenced the direction of her life. In order to communicate with him, she learned sign language at a very early age.
Two years ago, she spent a summer at Butler County Community College of Marion signing for a certified nurse's aid class while she took the class.
During the first semester this year, she took night classes at Marion County Learning Center at Hillsboro so that she could graduate early, which she did in December. She also was enrolled in work study as a shift manager at Subway in Hillsboro.
After completing her secondary studies, Danielle became an interpreter for the hearing-impaired at Hillsboro Elementary School and also worked as a para-educator.
She also took classes in English Composition, Introduction to Literature, and Intermediate Algebra at Butler County Community College at Marion, and completed independent college studies in interpreting.
Immediately upon graduation Sunday, Danielle left for the Overland Park area, where she will be working for the summer and taking courses in American Sign Language and English Composition II at Johnson County Community College.
The college courses are prerequisites for her entry this fall into the interpreter's training program at the college. She said participation in the program is by invitation only, based on an application and interview.
After she completes the two-year course, she will be required to pass a state exam in order to reach her goal as a certified interpreter for the hearing-impaired.
Life hasn't been easy for Danielle. She entered a strange, new environment at Centre Elementary School as a fourth grader after her parents separated and she and her mother moved to Pilsen.
At the age of 13, she had a traumatic experience which caused her to become isolated and withdrawn. Fortunately, she received helpful counseling. Her counselor taught her to write poetry and introduced her to the therapeutic value of writing.
"I write a lot," she said. "It helps me deal with my problems. It makes me admit I have a problem so someone can help me."
Danielle has been very active as a teen-ager. She enjoys running. She said her father got her involved in running at all kinds of area events.
In junior high she won awards in track and also participated in volleyball, basketball, a play, and band. She also participated in track as a freshman.
Her life began to take a different direction when she participated in the Miss America Co-ed Pageant at Overland Park. She was a finalist and went on to participate in the state pageant.
She said the experience changed her from an introvert to an extrovert. One of the required activities was extemporaneous acting. She said it was a real confidence builder.
"I made a lot of friends and when I came back, my old friends said I was a totally different person."
She had found a new interest.
"Sports wasn't my thing, and I felt I had leadership skills," she said.
Through social service workers Cheri Ochs Wheeler and later Linda Ogden, she became involved in the Marion County Youth Team.
At first it was just a handful of students and their adult sponsors who got together to exchange ideas. After several years, using information she obtained through the Internet, Danielle wrote a constitution for the team.
When it came time to elect officers, all members of the team were new except her. Evan Yoder, adult sponsor from the Hillsboro school district, suggested Danielle for president since she had been with the team from the beginning. Consequently, she was elected.
She has served as president for two years. The team has expanded to include about 40 students from all the school districts in the county. They meet approximately once a month during the school year and do community service projects and other activities.
The first major accomplishment of the team, according to Danielle, was the establishment of a youth court, where young people who get in minor trouble with the law can opt to appear before their peers instead of the district judge.
Danielle said some members who serve as jurors have been in trouble themselves. No "guilty" or "innocent" verdicts are made. "Sentences" handed down include such things as doing research into the problem and writing self-evaluations.
During the past year, Danielle was instrumental in establishing a Leo Club in the Centre school district. The Leo Club is a voluntary youth organization supported by the Tampa Lions Club.
Danielle said she had the responsibility to organize the club and was encouraged by Marvin and Elfrieda Funk of Hillsboro's Lions Club, who instigated a Leo Club there.
Centre high school principal Neal Weltha gave Danielle the awesome opportunity to address a general assembly of students. She said she nervously stood before them and explained the Leo Club concept. Then she said, "All interested stay seated. Everyone else can go back to class."
About 15 remained, and a handful of them later became charter members of the club. One of their goals is to help keep kids busy in an effort to keep them out of trouble.
During their first year, the club held fundraisers, had a soup kitchen, conducted a poster contest, and organized a Christmas party for kids.
Danielle said she appreciates all the support she has received from her parents and extended family. Her grandparents are Melvin and Joan Watkins, who reside at Marion County Lake. Joan does mapping for the county appraiser's office. Danielle's great-grandmother, Gladys Watkins, also lives at the lake.
