Thought this was pretty cool of them to do.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20140322/ARTICLES/140329820/1319?Title=The-Weather-Channel-reaches-out-to-local-fan
While many teenagers her age tune into pop culture networks like MTV, 18 year-old, Gabrielle Poincot keeps her eyes glued to The Weather Channel.
Every morning the aspiring meteorologist turns on her favorite show, “Wake Up With Al,” to watch Stephanie Abrams, co-host and her longtime Weather Channel idol, do what she does best — report the weather. However, the H.L. Bourgeois High School senior never thought she would receive a video from Abrams congratulating her on achieving the Terrebonne Parish’s High School Student of the Year.
“When I was told I had a message from Stephanie, I was in total shock. It was so exciting. I watch the show every morning, and I watched it this morning at 4:45,” Poincot said last week. “I texted the link to my dad, and he was like, ‘Wait, what is that?’ and I was like, ‘Dad, watch the video,’ and he was still confused about what it was for and I said, ‘Dad she saw my Student of the Year article.’ He thought it was so amazing and started texting everybody.”
Poincot’s love of meteorology is the result of living in a hurricane-prone area, she said. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, her curiosity to know the weekly forecast grew into a passion she plans on turning into a life-long career.
When Abrams read that the young fan was well on her way to following in her footsteps she immediately wanted to reach out, said The Weather Channel’s communications director Maureen Marshal. It was then that “Wake Up With Al” host Al Roker recorded a video message with Abrams to congratulate Poincot on being Student of the Year.
“The fact that I inspired someone to follow their dreams, especially a girl into science, makes my year. It was an honor to hear that I was part of her motivation to become a meteorologist,” Abrams said. “My best advice is to work hard, do what you’re passionate about (in all aspects of your life), try new things, never give up and find happiness, love and peace from within.”
Poincot’s mother, Susan, said the video has motivated her daughter even more to achieve her dream of one day becoming an on-camera meteorologist. She said her daughter plans to attend Mississippi State University this fall where she hopes to earn a degree in broadcast meteorology.
“I was actually in the doctor’s office, and of course I shared all the news with everyone who was in there, and then I sent the link out to everybody in the family in a massive message,” Susan Poincot said. “It’s just awesome. I can’t believe they actually took the time to do that. It’s great.”
