This had been planned for weeks by their classmates.
Prom night is a night that every student looks forward to. It’s the night they get to dress up and maybe bring a cute date. In the US, prom is a pretty big deal. In a lot of coming-of-age movies, it’s a staple plot element.
Prom is a big night, we get it. Have you ever considered how prom is for people who are a bit different from you? I’m talking about people with conditions like down syndrome, of course.
Zane Wales and Anna Anderson are both down syndrome high school students. Since middle school, they have been dating.
Jefferson Forest High School students were fast approaching prom. Just like everyone else, Zane and Anna attended.
However, this prom would be a little different.
The other students had something special in store for Zane and Anna that he wasn’t aware of.
Students’ plans were so grand that some teachers couldn’t help but overhear them.
Zane was to be crowned prom king. Anna would be prom queen, of course.
It was important to be inclusive. The school wanted Zane and Anna to feel accommodated. Down syndrome affects only one in 1,000 people.
Zane and Anna live their entire lives knowing they are different.
Friends at school wanted them to feel like they fit in, and they were always welcome.
This took weeks to plan.
Every day, they see these kids. Because they walk the same halls with these same kids, and they feel like they’re part of them, they wanted to make sure they also felt like they were part of them.” – Heather Hevener, one of their teachers.
So the big day came, and everyone was there.
When a student with a mic called Zane’s name on the dance floor, he was minding his own business. He had no idea why.
You’re our prom king, Zane, announced the student at the top of the stairs.
Zane raised his fist in the air to accept the cheers. But that wasn’t all. Every prom king deserves a prom queen.
Here is the prom queen, chosen by the whole school: Anna!
It was a prom night to remember, for all the right reasons. She was smiling, he was smiling, and everyone else was smiling as well.
It’s just so sweet, and I hope this reaches other schools and programs as well. – Hevener
In addition to down syndrome, people with autism or bipolar disorder may also have difficulty fitting in at school.
Students like these show that everyone can feel welcome at school.
It just takes some learning – and some unlearning, too.
Check out how these students surprised Zane and Anna below. Please share this article as well!
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source : shareably.net
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