MEQUON, Wis. — The first day of school is always a new adventure for families, but this year it's even more special for the Oberneder family as their youngest daughter begins her high school journey.
Emily Oberneder, a freshman at Homestead High School, is the third and final Oberneder sibling to enter high school. Emily has Down syndrome and has had the support of her older sisters and parents throughout her educational journey.
"It's a big building, and it's fast-paced," Emily said about starting at Homestead. "I like art, music, cheer."
Emily's sister Caroline, a senior at Homestead, leads the school's Best Buddies program, which pairs special education students with peer mentors. Their older sister Lily is currently a sophomore in college and previously led the same program.
Watch: Homestead freshman with Down syndrome begins high school journey
"I definitely am very nervous for her just because I've been through the whole high school experience. It's not easy, but I'm excited that she gets many opportunities in the special education department," Caroline Oberneder said. "Seeing the smiles on the buddies' faces, truly, it's just the joy of my day."
When the school bus arrived just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, there were bittersweet goodbye hugs from her mother Kathleen.
"She has such great abilities, and we feel very confident that she's got a great future ahead of her," Kathleen Oberneder said. "When you have a child with special needs and differences, you always worry, will she be accepted? (We are) just making sure she feels comfortable."
With her sister by her side, Emily officially began her high school career when the first bell rang at 7:25 a.m.
"I'm excited to see new friends and the teachers," Emily said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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