Thanks to hard work and dedication, basketball, sign language, and babysitting are three things that senior Madi Winter excels in and enjoys.

Madi has been playing basketball for eleven years, starting at her elementary school, Ada Christian. She continued to play throughout middle school, placing on the highest team both years. Then came freshman year, where she made the varsity basketball team.

“It was really cool,” Madi said. “Especially being the only freshman; it was just a special feeling. I was like their little freshman; it was really fun.”

Her love for basketball stems from the influence of her older brother, Austin. Madi has always looked up to him and wanted to be just like him. He pushes her to be better, which resulted in her high team placement and an overall respect for him.

“I always think my brother pushes me to be better,” Madi said. “He was always such a good influence, so I always valued that in him.”

Madi has many other influences in her life, including her sign language teacher, Kimberly Williamson. Madi has taken sign language for three years, loving both the teacher and the class. She’s playing with the idea of minoring in sign language, and she knows Williamson will be there for her.

“I love the teacher; she’s super supportive,” Madi said. “Not just in sign language, but outside, too. If I ever need help with something, she’ll always be there.”

Madi has supportive role models, but she is a role model as well. In her spare time, she babysits her family friends. Although she is planning on pursuing a major in business at Michigan State, she still enjoys spending time with kids, allowing her to be an influence on them.

Madi doesn’t have little siblings, so babysitting is great for practicing the leadership roles she learned from her brother, Williamson, and basketball.

“I would love to have a little sibling that looks up to me, and I [could] teach them everything I’ve been through,” Madi said. “I would tell them all of my mistakes so they don’t have to make the same ones and just always be there for them”

Throughout it all, Madi has really learned how to be a leader from her supportive family members, teachers, and basketball. Playing for eleven years showed Madi how hard work and her commitment has paid off.

“[Basketball has] taught me to always be dedicated and work hard in everything you do and be a good team player,” Madi said. “It taught me how to be a leader”