When Joshua Brinkmeyer walked across the stage at Milford High School’s graduation ceremony on May 10, he did so surrounded by years of support, friendships and school spirit.
Joshua, who has Down syndrome, has attended Milford Public Schools since first grade. Over the years, he has been active in the school community with athletics, music, theater and the relationships he built with classmates and educators.
“Down the halls, everybody knows Joshua,” 7-12 special education teacher Tonya Parra said. “Everybody knows Josh in the school; everybody knows Josh in the community. There’s so much support for that young man.”
Joshua’s outgoing personality has made him popular among classmates and staff.
“Josh is a happy boy, and at school he is very social and just loves everybody,” Joshua’s mother, Jenny Brinkmeyer, said. “It’s high fives and fist bumps and hugs all around.”
Joshua participated in unified football, unified track, unified basketball, unified bowling and archery during high school.
Outside of school, he earned gold, silver and bronze medals in bocce, bowling, track and cornhole at the Seward Special Olympics. Jenny said bowling is his favorirte sport, and he is always excited to go.
Joshua also joined the school’s marching band and pep band, earning the four-year band award.
“Mr. Goddard was our band director when Joshua started in fifth grade, and I didn’t even imagine band was really going to be an option for him, but Mr. Goddard put it out there and said, ‘Hey, we’d love to have him in band,’” Jenny said.
Joshua was Santa during the Student Council Winter Assembly, and he played young Shrek in the school’s musical production of “Shrek.”
“The choir director, Mr. Nutzman, found a way to include Joshua and put him in this role, and Joshua loved it,” Jenny said. “He loved being on stage and being with the crew for the musical. He had such a great time with them.”
On days when Joshua did not want to attend school, Jenny said knowing he would get to spend time with his friends and educators motivated him to go.
“These people are pouring themselves into children like Joshua – he loves them, and he loves their attitudes and their personalities,” Jenny said. “They’ve all just done so much to keep him going and motivated to get some focus so they can teach him something at school.”
Joshua’s entire class gathered around him to support his senior signing, an event in which each senior signs a banner stating whether they plan to join the workforce or attend a specific college. Parra, who said she loves working with Joshua because of his personality and his hugs, said witnessing his peers celebrate him makes her heart happy.
Joshua also received support at the annual Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk during his senior year. The Brinkmeyer family participates in the walk every year, but this year featured one of the largest groups of Milford Public Schools supporters yet, including football players, classmates, educators and cross-country athletes.
A student designed a shirt featuring Joshua’s face, which the school sold to staff members to raise $500 for the walk.
“We had a very large team this year, and he was super excited,” Jenny said. “He was just loving all of the extra people that came to support him, and it just really made his day.”
Joshua’s classmates have also supported him in smaller daily ways, including daily high fives and words of encouragement and singing “Happy Birthday” to him during the state basketball tournament.
Through support from the school and local business owners, Joshua gained work experience at Dragonfly Cafe during his junior year and at Sammy’s Diner during his senior year.
“He loves going to work over there,” Jenny said. “He’s got little checklists that he looks at when he gets there so he knows what he’s supposed to go do, and he’s always just really excited to go to work.”
This fall, Joshua plans to attend the CRAVE (Career Readiness And Vocational Education) program at Southeast Community College in Milford, where he will continue building life and job skills.
“Joshua is an awesome kid who has the love and support from his classmates and school,” Principal Brandon Mowinkel said. “He will be greatly missed next year for the energy and love he shares with us all every day!”
Jenny said seeing all the love from the school and community over the years has warmed her heart.
“Having a child with special needs, you just never know how other people are going to take things and how they’re going to treat him,” she said. “To see the love and support the school has shown for him has been amazing. I will say over and over again that Milford has been an amazing school system that has been an amazing place for Joshua. They have done such wonderful things for him and with him.”
