#NeverAlone

by Mark Leach from Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing - a resource for Infomation seekers:
No parent should be alone when they find out their child has Down syndrome. But, right now, too many are.
In our case, we were told our daughter had Down syndrome about 2 minutes after she was born. She was still on the warming table, and a neonatal nurse shouted over her shoulder as she left the delivery room:

Doctor, check the baby. I think she has Down syndrome.

The OB cleared the room and went over the physical characteristics that caused them to believe Juliet had Down syndrome. My wife’s first question was, “what’s her life expectancy?”
Now, please appreciate that.
For most every parent, the birth of their child is described as the happiest moment of their life. And it certainly was for us. But that lasted for all of 2 minutes and then her mom is wondering if the life she just gave birth to will end in a matter of years.
Once we got to our room at the hospital, a pediatrician visited and talked to us about raising a child with Down syndrome. A geneticist woke us up the following morning to explain that more than likely the extra 21st chromosome that is the cause of Down syndrome came from my wife’s egg–nevermind whether that was relevant or appropriate to share at that time. And, then, upon check out, as I was paying the bill, I was handed a dot-matrix printout that was from some plug-and-chug program that read,

[BABY GIRL] has Down syndrome

It proceeded to list only the associated health conditions.
And. That. Was. It.
That was all the information we received. No pictures of children with Down syndrome living in today’s world. Nothing about social supports, inclusive educational settings, or life experiences of individuals with Down syndrome. Nothing in writing other than that crappy, outdated green-and-white striped, perforated dot-matrix printout.

#passtheABLEact Photo Campaign

Disabled woman locked up for 10 years rescued

from the Rakyat Post:

TUMPAT, June 27:

A woman with Down’s Syndrome, who was caged under a small and dark space under the family house in Kampung Pasir Pekan Hulu here for more than 10 years, was rescued by the police and the Social Welfare Department today.

Tumpat police chief Supt Zaharuddin Rasip said the woman, in her 30s, was rescued by authorities after being alerted by the Tumpat People’s Action Council and local press this afternoon.

He said the woman was believed to have been locked up by family members after her parents died.

The barn-sized enclosure had a small bed and the floor was covered with the woman’s faeces and urine.

He said the woman was looked after by her brother who lived nearby.

Zaharuddin said the police and Welfare Department would be investigating the matter, adding that the woman had been sent to the Tumpat district hospital for treatment.

Teen with Down Syndrome Accused of Sexually Assaulting Classmate at School

by Ari Mason from NBC Connecticut:

A Bridgeport teen with Down Syndrome is facing charges after police say he sexually assaulted a 16-year-old classmate, who is also mentally disabled, in a bathroom at Harding High School last August.

According to police, a group of onlookers used cellphones to record video while 19-year-old Patrick Nolan allegedly assaulted a fellow student in the school bathroom.

Defense attorney Mark D. Phillips said the special needs students were victimized. The other teens egged them on, he said, and the special needs students are not supposed to be in the bathroom unsupervised.

"He is a victim, as is anyone else who may have been affected by this ... type of conduct," Phillips said of Nolan.

Free webinars: supporting speech, language and reading for children with Down syndrome

Free webinars Find out more about supporting speech, language and reading development for children with Down syndrome at our free online events next week.

Effective reading instruction DSE's Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI) is an evidence-based programme designed to teach reading and language skills to children with Down syndrome. RLI incorporates best practice in structured activities delivered in fast-paced daily teaching sessions. It was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial and found to improve rates of progress compared to ordinary teaching. This event is aimed at parents and educators interested in learning more about RLI. It offers an introduction to the new teaching programme, describing how it was designed and evaluated, who it is for, what is involved in delivering it, and what resources are available to support its use. Find out more... Find out more...

'Country Music Lends Down a Hand' event raises funds, awareness

from WBBJ tv:
JACKSON, Tenn.- The Casey Jones Village Amphitheatre was rocking Wednesday as country music lends down a hand.
It was a fundraiser for the Down Syndrome Association of West Tennessee as hundreds of supporters came out.
Part of the proceeds will go towards a summer camp that organizers said all of the kids enjoy.
"They go every day and they learn about social skills, they do crafts, of course they sing and dance, they interact with each other," said Hope Graves event coordinator.
Some of the night's performers included Ash Bowers Eric Lee Beddingfield and Brandon Lay.

The last dance: Though her recital days are over, dancing allows graduate with Down syndrome to be one of the girls

by Britteny McNamara from Wicked Local Walpole:
On stage, Allie Iannoni gets her wings. Dancing tap and jazz, Iannoni’s eyes light up, she becomes confident, and her differences float away.

The fact that Iannoni has Down’s Syndrome doesn’t matter, all that matters is that she hits her mark, which she always does.

Iannoni has danced at K and M Studios in Norwood for 10 years now, and with her 21st birthday approaching next month she has recently aged out of the program. At her final recital last Saturday, Allie, of Walpole, said she was happy to perform with her friends, but sad to see the end of an era.

Up on the Westwood High School stage, Iannoni performed three numbers, one tap, one jazz and a final senior dance. Her father Joseph Iannoni said the senior dance was her best performance yet.

"I really loved to dance," Iannoni said. "I like being on stage, I like when people clap for me."

The final performance was a series of three recitals, one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night. With her dad in the audience for all three, Iannoni said she had a lot of fun.

Couple arrested after boy with Down Syndrome found alone in neighborhood

A 6-year-old child with Down Syndrome was found alone in a stranger's driveway and now two people are facing charges. Gianna Caserta reports from Click 2 Houston.

Burglars raid Top Munch cafe in Strood, taking charity pot for Maidstone Down’s Syndrome girl Winnie Martin

by Jenni Horn from Kent Online:

Thieves who raided a cafe and took thousands of pounds of stock and cash also stole a charity jar full of money collected for a little girl.

Burglars struck at the Top Munch cafe in Station Road, Strood, during the early hours of Tuesday morning and stole about £5,000 plus about £180 for the charity.

The cafe, which has been run by Medway boxer Brian Sanders for the past five years, was raising money for to send Winnie Martin, for treatment in America as she is suffering from Leukemia.

Camp Helps Kids With Down Syndrome Learn To Ride Bikes

Camps are a summer staple and at St. Scholastica a camp all about bikes just wrapped up.
"Strider bikes are balance bikes without pedals," Physical Therapy Assistant Professor Karen Swanson said.
The bike camp is for all kids, but there's a focus on helping kids with down syndrome.
"A lot of people believe that they can never learn how to ride a bike," Swanson said.
Swanson is working to shatter that stereotype. She said it's important for kids with down syndrome to be able to do the same things their siblings can do.

Stay or go? Country families' dilemma on children with disabilities

from Bush Telegraph:
Meet 12 year old Reggie Happ. He loves tenpin bowling and swimming and has two great mates who, like him, have Down Syndrome.
He's in year seven at high school in Bathurst, New South Wales, where a dedicated teaching assistant helps him stay in touch with the curriculum.
But it wasn't always like this. When he lived in the small town of Coonamble out west of Dubbo, he struggled to find a suitable friendship group.
And with professional services almost non-existent, Reggie's mum Vicki was his speech therapist, sitting with him for up to an hour a day teaching him to speak more clearly - a task they both found frustrating at times.
Reggie and Vicki are among 78 case studies in a new report on rural families caring for a child with a disability.

A Little Girl Died Today

by Pastor Rick Hermann from The Dad Blog:
There is a little girl named Annie Golden who died today.   She was a beautiful soul with a smile that could light up a room.   She died because she didn’t get a heart transplant. She died because she was not thought “worthy” enough to even be put on the list. Annie had Down syndrome.   This cognitive disability would prevent her from even being put on the transplant list.   My heart absolutely breaks for the family of this girl.

You see, I have a little girl with Down syndrome.   She turned 6 months old yesterday.   My little girl’s name is Joy.   She is the youngest of my four children.   The last 6 months have changed my life in so many ways.
My journey started as most parents who have any child with special needs. It started out with ignorance. Like most people, I had been around people with special needs, but I’d never been a parent of a child with special needs, nor did I have a close family member with special needs to know and love.

A Painful Week in the Down Syndrome Community

from Whoopsie Piggle:
Real Community, Virtually
When Lyra was four months old, I met a woman at a meeting for new parents of children with Down syndrome. A few weeks later, she sent me an invitation to join a Facebook group titled “(’12/’13) Moms with Kids Rockin’ the Extra Chromosome.” I remember thinking the title was a bit cumbersome, but I don’t recall what I expected when I clicked the “join” button. Not much I suspect for, at first, I hardly looked at or commented on the page. I was busy with my family, my baby and her diagnoses of Down syndrome and bi-lateral cataracts and all the adjustments that go along with any new baby. Today, I have a list of all I did not know or anticipate:

• I thought the group was local, but it is not. Though most members are Americans, the group has families from all over the world.

• I had not anticipated the value of an immediate and large group of moms whose kids with Down syndrome were the same age as my child and, therefore, will go through the same stages of development at roughly the same times as my child because…

• It did not occur to me at first that this would be a lifelong group, but once it did I was floored that something like it hadn’t been created before and reminded that, for all its distractions, the Internet’s impact can be profoundly positive.

• I could not have imagined how close I would become with some of the other moms. Back in the old days, before Facebook, I never participated in chat rooms. Even today, I do not belong to many Facebook groups. Yet there are women I have only met through this group whom I regularly turn to for input. Recently, one of the moms I corresponded almost daily has largely dropped off due to a difficult pregnancy. I miss her as much as if I had a best friend living next door who moved to another state.

• I did not know how much I could cherish the children who give us reason to have a Facebook group nor how invested I would feel in their developmental milestones. Videos of crawling, walking, talking, straw-sipping babies have me cheering in my seat at my computer as if I was watching the Chicago Cubs win the World Series.

• I certainly did not expect my heart to be broken.

In the past week, three babies have died. Baby Fiona died after complications from her second heart surgery. Baby Ryder was fine when he went to bed, had a fever and rash in the morning and was gone by two in the afternoon. And Baby Annie. Baby Annie was not given a heart transplant, for reasons that remain unclear, and her family—mother, father, and two older sisters—have watched her progressively become weaker and bluer. She died early this morning.

My Two Kids With Down Syndrome and I Found a Place to Be a "Typical" Family

by Stephanie Pratico from The Huffington Post:
Many parents have or will experience the joy of their high school senior receiving college acceptance letters. In my list of dreams for my children, that falls somewhere toward the bottom. When my son John, 20, and my daughter, Sara, 15, were born with Down syndrome, I knew the likelihood of receiving even one college acceptance letter may not be a reality. However, the day John received his letter of acceptance for Team New Jersey in the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games, I believe I experienced the equivalent.
Over the years, I have spent countless hours in doctors' appointments, IEP meetings and on the phone with various State agencies, discussing my children's diagnoses, limitations and challenges. Fortunately, after shedding many tears, I realized early on that although it is important to recognize the areas of development that need support, those are not what define the wonderful people my children are.
Although John was fortunate to reach some of his developmental milestones with minimal delays, Sara's road was much more difficult. John actually learned to walk at 16 months, and Sara was over three years old. In spite of their varying abilities, we were at home at Special Olympics.
Special Olympics is where we go for sports training and competition. My children need to be in a place where despite their disabilities they are among their peers, can have the same experience as any other child and are valued for their special abilities. It is so wonderful to have a place in the community where we can be a 'typical' family.

Hit-Run Driver Kills Girl, 13, with Down Syndrome

by Michael George from NBC News:
Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome on Long Island early Sunday.
Bryanna Soplin was hit shortly after midnight as she crossed the Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown, the Nassau County Police Department said. She was taken to the hospital with head and body trauma, and died about four hours later.
Her mother, Jennifer Curuchaga, said she said goodnight to Soplin and went to sleep but that the 13-year-old left home and started to walk to visit her grandfather. 
Curuchaga said Soplin had never wandered off before.
"My daughter was such a happy little girl," she said.
Bryanna’s family wants the driver to step forward.
"You were there, and you did this,” said Curuchaga. “Please come up and say it. I'm no one to judge you. But I need to know who did this to my baby."
Police said the driver was last seen headed north on the Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway in a blue 2011-2013 Chrysler Town and Country minivan.
Anyone with information about the driver is asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

June 12th National Call-In Day for the Keeping All Students Safe Act

from the NDSS:
Join NDSS and other national organizations today, June 12th for National Call-In Day to ask your Senators and Representative to cosponsor the Keeping All Students Safe Act (S. 2036/H.R. 1893) which aims to end the practice of using restraint and seclusion as punishment or convenience. 
Restraints and seclusion have killed, injured, and traumatized students in schools across the country.  The Keeping All Students Safe Act, championed by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Gregg Harper (R-MS), promotes a shift toward preventing problematic behavior through the use of de-escalation techniques, conflict management, and evidence-based positive behavioral interventions and supports. NDSS strongly supports this legislation.

Please call your members of Congress tomorrow by clicking the TAKE ACTION button below, and ask your Senators and Represenative to cosponsor this important legislation!

For more information about the Keeping All Students Safe Act, please visit our ​NDSS Restraints and Seclusion in Schools webpage.
Thank you for all you do!

Ginny Sessions
Manager, Grassroots and Development Programming
National Down Syndrome Society

Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Jeopardy

from the NDSS:

The Senate Labor-Health & Human Services (L-HHS) Subcommittee marked up their fiscal year (FY) 2015 appropriations bill this week and appropriated $12.718 million for the Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) program, a program that NDSS fully supports!

We still need your help! Please contact members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee (using the "Take Action" link below) to ensure that the funding for the FY 2015 TPSID program is included in the Senate full-committee appropriations bill (scheduled for Thursday, June 12th) and in the House L-HHS appropriations bill.

NDSS feels strongly that students with Down syndrome and other disabilities should have access to postsecondary education, and the resulting employment and independent living opportunities.

Congress must support the TPSID program and NCC to ensure that thousands of students with intellectual disabilities have meaningful transition options into postsecondary education that leads to academic, career and independent living training, and employment.

You can read more on NDSS postsecondary education initiatives here.

Thank you for all you do!



Ginny Sessions
Manager, Grassroots and Development Programming
National Down Syndrome Society

L.A. Kings Darryl Sutter opens up about his son with Down Syndrome

by Bruce Arthur from The Star:
The email came from a 25-year-old in New York; we’ll call him Brian. He enclosed a picture of his older brother, who we’ll call Henry. Henry is 27, and lives in Chicago. He has Down syndrome. In the picture he is looking off to the side but he is smiling, and Darryl Sutter’s arm is around him. Darryl is smiling, too.

Brian wasn’t looking for a story, and Henry doesn’t want to be famous, so their names have been changed. But Brian had just watched Sutter’s press conferences, with that plain Prairie voice and that unimpressed rubber face and the clipped short answers that are becoming famous. Brian saw people calling Sutter rude, or laughing, as if that was the measure of the man.

He knew it wasn’t, because his father once read an article that mentioned Sutter’s third child, Christopher, who has Down syndrome. The father read the piece aloud with Henry. Henry wrote Sutter a letter. Sutter was the coach of the San Jose Sharks.

Sutter wrote back by hand, on Sharks letterhead. When the Sharks came to Chicago, Brian and Henry and their father were invited to a morning skate, and Darryl met them in the stands. Not everyone knew how to speak to Henry. Darryl did.

“There’s something there between the two of them that there just isn’t with other adults,” says Brian. “Things my brother says, it just brings out the biggest smile on Darryl’s face. I’m a Blues fan, and one time (in 2012) Henry said, ‘Hey, remember when the Kings beat the Blues in the playoffs?’ And Darryl just laughed and laughed. It’s simple, but he understands.”

They exchanged more letters, over time. A letter Sutter wrote is still framed on Henry’s wall in Chicago, along with sticks, jerseys, gear from San Jose and Calgary and L.A. Henry wears a Kings jersey after every win.

“I’d rather just take care of my family in the locker room, and my family at home, and then people that I think should be taken care of,” says Sutter, in a near-empty hallway at Madison Square Garden, between Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup final. “It makes them feel good. And that’s sort of what we’re supposed to do in our lifetime, is make people feel good. So when I get the opportunity to do that, I’ll do that.”

At Special Olympics ceremony, Frankie Edgar finds a little perspective

by Ben Fowlkes from MMAJunkie.com:
Former UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar had personal reasons for attending the opening ceremony of the New Jersey Special Olympics Summer Games at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J., at the end of May.
The 32-year-old Edgar has an aunt and a cousin with Down Syndrome, he said. His aunt competed in a version of the games as a younger woman, so he thought it’d be nice to show up and lend his support as a pro athlete from the Garden State.
What he didn’t expect was that he’d also get something out of it, something he could use now that he’s eight years into his pro career, and still trying to recapture the fire that made him a UFC champion once.
“Sports, it brings people together in so many different ways,” Edgar told MMAjunkie. “Just to see the smiles on the athletes’ faces as they’re walking out and getting cheered by the fans and their families, that was something really special.
“For me it is a job, something I have to do. I mean, I do enjoy it, but it does get a little tedious at times when you’re doing it every day, all day. To see people going and competing for the joy and for the sake of fun, it kind of reminds me that I get to do something for a living that people enjoy doing. Working out and participating in sports, it’s something people do for recreation, and for me it’s my life.”

How One Mother Gave Her Daughter With Down Syndrome the Best Day of Her Life

by David Rosenberg from Slate.com:
When Janice Di Joseph and photographer Lindsay Morris sat next to one another on a train, the two women struck up a lively conversation. Morris said she was drawn in by Di Joseph’s extrovert personality, but it was her daughter Ricchina who immediately caught Morris’ eye.

“She was so dreamy,” Morris recalled. “She had this air about her that was so soft and warm and welcoming.”

Morris was returning from the Look3 photo festival in Charlottesville, Virginia, and had felt empowered by a seminar she took on the photography essay. When Di Joseph, who was heading to Philadelphia where she lives, mentioned she was preparing to throw a surprise wedding-themed birthday party for Ricchina, Morris offered to photograph it and created a series, “Ricchina’s Wedding.”

Ricchina has Down syndrome and as she and Di Joseph began to attend more weddings over the years, Ricchina began to question her mother about why she wasn’t able to get married.  

“I would die whenever she asked, because I didn’t know what to say,” Di Joseph said.

Thanks to Di Joseph’s never-take-no-for-an-answer attitude, Ricchina had already met two of her idols, Justin Timberlake and Lance Bass, encounters Di Joseph felt certain would be the highlights of Ricchina’s life. But as it turned out, the wedding-themed birthday party would top both of those.

New Horizons helps special needs adults in the San Fernando Valley

by Dana Bartholomew from The Los Angeles Daily News:
LAKE VIEW TERRACE >> When Marilyn Weiss wants to head out on a date with her boyfriend, she’s hit on a hot ticket for getting around Los Angeles: the bus.
This year, the developmentally disabled woman took advantage of a new travel training program at New Horizons that has helped widen her urban world — to the movies, to the mall and as far away as historic Pasadena.
“I like it,” said Weiss, 59, of North Hills, beaming. “Because I can take the bus by myself. Makes me feel happy. Him, too.
“Without New Horizons, I’d be bored. I’d be nothing. I’d stay home.”

New Horizons, the San Fernando Valley’s oldest social service agency to help special needs adults, celebrated 60 years of service Saturday with a seventh annual 5K Run/Walk on the Horizon.
Where smiling greeters waved to visitors along a road leading into the Hansen Dam Aquatics Center in Lake View Terrace.
Where up to 300 hoofers circled the fog-shrouded waters to support the North Hills-based agency that empowers special needs residents through training for independent travel, education, recreation, work and housing.

And where family members could recall a not-so-distant time when such disabled residents were shunned to the shadows of their communities.
“Way back in the Dark Ages, we were told to get rid of these kids, put ‘em in the house,” said Susan Gross, a member of Friends of New Horizons, whose daughter Cindy has found a measure of freedom through the agency for three decades. “We’re not going to do it, because they’re our children.
“My daughter’s a fighter.”

McFadden hopes to bring home USG medal for brother

by Rick Gillespie from The Spectrum:
CEDAR CITY – The strident sounds of shotgun blasts filled the air Saturday as a diverse group of athletes competed in the Utah Summer Games trap shooting event.
Shooters ranging in age from 8 to 84 years gathered at the Cedar City trap club and spent the day wielding their weapons in search of a good time and a bit of USG glory.
Some were seasoned shooters, some were new to the sport, but among them stood one young participant who wasn’t there just to win a spot for himself on the podium.
Connor McFadden, 11, was out there competing for his older brother Johnny, who has Down Syndrome and is unable to shoot.
If Connor wins a medal, Johnny takes his spot on the podium and gets the experience of having the crowd cheering him on.
“I do it so he can feel good because he can’t do it by himself,” Connor said. “It makes me feel good that I can make someone happy.”
It’s a win-win situation for both Connor and Johnny, their father James McFadden said, and looking out for their brother is something Johnny’s siblings have always done.

Charlotte Cox claims golds galore in Portugal

 Charlotte Cox with her medal haul from the IAADS (International Association of Athletes with Down Syndrome) European Championships.

from the Cambridge News by Mark Taylor

Charlotte Cox was laden in gold at the International Association of Athletes with Down Syndrome European Championships.

The 23-year-old Cambridge & Coleridge athlete had a brilliant competition on the continent, following up her success at the DSE regional championships in Chelmsford in May.

Cox won gold medals in all her events – the 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump and, for the first time, the triathlon.

The triathlon consists of the 100m, long jump and shot putt and Cox set a world record in victory.

Great Britain came fourth overall, with hosts Portugal triumphant.

Cox now moves on to the Mencap Nationals in Manchester in June, with the IAADS World Championships in South Africa next year.

See and Learn Saying Words

By Down Syndrome Education Enteprises CIC:

See and Learn Saying Words is designed to support the development of clear speech for children with Down syndrome and other children with similar speech difficulties.

See and Learn Saying Words is designed to help children to say words and improve the accuracy of their word productions through simple activities that encourage the imitation and repetition of one- and two-syllable words. It includes eight sets of words, each starting with a speech sound that usually develops early in typical development.

See and Learn Saying Words can help parents, teachers and therapists to support the regular speech practice that research evidence suggests is necessary to develop clearer speech. It is part of See and Learn Speech - an evidence-based teaching scheme developed by Down Syndrome Education International – a widely recognised leader in research and effective interventions for children with Down syndrome.

The See and Learn Saying Words app features three activities:

• Learning to Say Words – using picture prompt cards and speechreading cues to encourage first attempts at saying words
• Practising Saying Words – using sets of picture prompt cards in games to encourage more complete word production
• Rehearsing Saying Words – multiple repetitions of specific words to improve the clarity and consistency of word production

Local writes book on life with Down syndrome

by Jordan Gribble from the Daily Comet:
Living with Down syndrome isn't easy, but 21-year-old Sean Adams is finding happiness through a positive outlook and a supportive family.

The Larose resident tells that story his newly published book, “I am Happy to Be Me.”

“It talks about my life with Down syndrome and shows others what life is like with Down,” said Sean, who lives with his parents, Melisa and John Adams. “Some people don't accept their disability. But I think everyone should know that I'm glad I have my disability. It's a gift from God that should not be taken for granted.”

Down syndrome is a condition that someone is born with that causes below average mental abilities and problems in physical development.

Taking inspiration from the deaf and blind Helen Keller, who even with her disabilities was able to write 12 books during her lifetime, Sean says he too wants to give a voice to the voiceless.

“Some kids with disabilities, they don't speak up, and they need a voice. I write to be a voice,” he said.

Sean began writing the book as a freshman at South Lafourche High School. It began slowly at first. But finally with hard work and the guidance of his godmother, who is also a published author, Sean was able to complete the book.

I'm Taking a Stand to Make My Difference in the World

by Lauren Potter from the Huffington Post:
I'm Lauren Potter. I'm just a 24-year-old girl who is working hard to live my dreams and make my difference in the world.
In order to do that, I've had to face challenges. Sometimes even seemingly simple things, like walking and talking, have been a challenge. But I never let that stop me. I have always continued to dream big and to fight hard to pursue those dreams.
When I was young, my dream was to be an actress. Sure people told me I'd never be able to do it, but I replied, "Just watch me!" Now they are watching me, but this time on the big screen. I filmed my first movie when I was 16 years old, and I am currently an actress on Fox's hit TV show Glee that just celebrated its 100th episode.
As a girl who has accomplished things that many didn't think were possible, I know that people can be wrong when they judge someone else just because they are different. We are all different. And that isn't bad, it's just, well, different!
Because of Glee I have been given a chance to pursue another dream of mine -- to make the world a more welcoming place for people who are different -- especially for people like me who have always been told "you can't" instead of "you can." I want to live in a world where everyone can live, go to school and go to work without having to be afraid. Afraid of being judged, afraid of being bullied or cyber-bullied. Afraid of new things. Afraid of failure. Afraid of dreaming. In fact, I want to live in a world where people are actually celebrated for their differences, just as I celebrate mine!
Do you want to live in that world? Do you want to join me in "being the change"?
I believe we can be the generation that makes it happen! That's why I'm taking a stand for acceptance and inclusion. And I'm hoping that everyone will join me.
Special Olympics is an organization that celebrates differences and gives people of all abilities the chance to be a champion and a star. At the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015, the whole world will have a chance to show that they too stand up for acceptance and inclusion of all people by celebrating the joy, courage and determination of the 7,000 athletes who will participate. I am so proud and honored to be a part of this wonderful mission as a World Games Ambassador. I will continue to cheer on the athletes and stand with them as we tell those who still may say or think we can't do it, "Just watch me!"
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the Special Olympics World Games in conjunction with the Take a Stand campaign leading up to the 2015 World Games that will take place in Los Angeles. To read all posts in the series, visit here. Learn more about the Special Olympics World Games, Los Angeles 2015 here.
Follow Lauren Potter on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheLaurenPotter

DSR Episode #27: Inclusive Practices with Michael Remus

DSR Episode #27: Inclusive Practices with Michael Remus
Michael Remus is an expert on inclusion.  He is a parent of two children with special needs.  He has been a teacher and has written several books.  But most importantly (to me anyway), he took an entire school district into the world of full inclusion in 5 years.  Not only that, but it is showing great results and he has the data to prove it.  Michael was a super guest and told us lots of important information we can use to better the education of our children.  What a resource for the rest of us!
We learned about what inclusion means.  Inclusion means including EVERYONE in the main classroom.  However, some children will require additional support (modifications and/or accommodations).   This means that your child may need extra help in the classroom.  It may also mean that your child will work from modified materials while in the classroom.  It DOES NOT mean throwing a child in the classroom without the proper supports.