homecoming king will make you smile

KMSP-TV
from My Fox 9:
Blaine High School homecoming king Brock Shepard fits the stereotype -- a popular, three-sport athlete with an amazing smile. More than 2,000 students selected Shepard as their homecoming king not because he has Down syndrome, but “because of what he means to the school in spite of it,” the school said.
“Everyone loves him,” homecoming queen Britney Monteon said. “He means a lot to the school. He's amazing.”
Shepard is known for his “infectious” personality at BHS. He's the manager of the Bengals wrestling and plays on the school's adapted floor hockey, bowling and soccer teams.

Congratulations Brock! Watch his coronation at http://youtu.be/nWZML9g52X4

Homecoming couple continue to inspire

Krissy Altersohn, 19, and Tom Broviak, 17, were elected homecoming queen and king at Geneva High School in the fall. (Michael Tercha, Chicago Tribune / December 27, 2012)

By Vikki Ortiz Healy, Chicago Tribune reporter:
There were few dry eyes in the gymnasium when best friends Thomas Broviak and Krissy Altersohn, two students with Down syndrome, were elected homecoming king and queen at Geneva High School in the fall.
In the weeks that followed, Broviak insisted on wearing his dance shoes, even during gym class. Altersohn's mom said she saw a noticeable boost in her daughter's confidence and even found her applying makeup in the mirror before school.
"She said, 'I'm the queen. I've got to wear makeup now,'" Kathy Altersohn said.
But as the year comes to a close, the true impact of the teens' honor is still playing out in the suburban community of 22,000, where shop owners proudly tell visitors that theirs is the community that prompted thousands of "likes" on Facebook when the homecoming story went viral. The Broviak and Altersohn families continue to receive congratulations from across the country. And at the high school, what had been little-known programs designed to pair average students with their special-needs peers have doubled, even tripled in membership because students have been inspired by Altersohn and Broviak, officials said.
"Too often, our high school students get a bad rap," Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns said. "But I believe wholeheartedly that we continue to learn a great deal from the youngest people in our community — how to treat each other and what matters most."

High school awards homecoming king honors to student with Down syndrome

from KPLC TV:
At a San Diego high school, students are awarding homecoming king honors to a student with Down syndrome.
Although Ivan Mendoza has Down syndrome, that doesn't stop him from being one of the most popular kids on campus and putting a smile on everyone's face. Those qualities are part of the reason his classmates are awarding him homecoming king honors.
"He's so sweet," said a classmate who voted for him. "Even if he doesn't know you, he says hi. He's always talking to people. He's just really nice."
Another classmate said Ivan has one of the most appealing personalities on campus.
"When I see Ivan on campus, he's always outgoing, friendly, and nice," he said.
Once he heard about Ivan being on the homecoming king ballot, one of the school's football players dropped out of the race so that Ivan would be the only one in the running.
"I thought he should have the opportunity to win," said the football player. "So I just told myself I should drop out because I would like for him to win."
Ivan's mother said the gesture from classmates shows he is truly loved.
And it is that love that will make this year's homecoming that much more special.

Student with Down Syndrome Honored as Homecoming King

by Meredith Ley, WSAV 3:
Fall is here, and that means its homecoming season. 
The title of homecoming queen and king are bestowed upon the school's most popular and respected students.
And students at South Effingham High School have overwhelmingly chosen one young man as their homecoming king.
Senior Michael Holton will tell you he is just like everyone else.  He enjoys sports and music, and just like all teenage boys, he enjoys the company of his female friends. There is something that makes him different, but his friends say they wouldn't want him to change one bit.
Here at South Effingham High, Michael Holton is known as the big guy on campus.
"Every time I see him walking down the hall, everyone is giving him high fives,” says Senior Tyler Sheppard.
 So naturally, when it came time to vote for homecoming court his friend Kaite White knew there was only one guy worthy of being king.
"I was like, 'Ya’ll need to go and vote for Mikey, don't forget,’ and everyone had already gone and done it. Everyone knew and wanted Mikey to win."
Mikey has Down Syndrome, but his friends say they don't see his disability.  Amy Jameson just sees someone she admires.
"He never lets anything bring him down. No matter if he fails and fails, he is going to keep trying, and that encourages all of us to never give up and take his spirit, and it rubs off on a lot of our peers as well as ourselves."
On Saturday, Mikey received his crown after capturing the hearts and votes of 97 percent of his school.  Assistant Principal Jeff Faith says its not just a testament to Mikey, but the entire student body. 
"They are very caring and compassionate, but more than anything else, they just accept Mikey as one of the regular students."
For mom, Amy Holton, it’s just another way Mikey continues to defy the odds.
"Michael has just always surprised us. We’ve always pushed him to do different things and exposed him to different things. Don’t limit your children, whether they have a disability or don't have a disability."
Mikey can add homecoming king to his long list of accomplishments. 
He has also earned five gold medals in the Equestrian Special Olympics and a second degree blue belt in Tae Kwon Do. 
To learn more about Mikey, pick up last month's issue of Effingham Magazine.

Boy, Girl With Down Syndrome Chosen Prom King, Queen

from NBC New York by Pei-Sze Cheng:

Meghan Latini's parents have always hoped other children would accept her, but they never dreamed their daughter, who has Down syndrome, would be prom queen.

Last week, Latini received the honor at Huntington High School, and her boyfriend, Brendan Higgins, who also has Down syndrome, was voted king.

"She always reached heights that we didn't know she would be able to," said Marianne Latini, her mother.  "We are so lucky."

"I felt like I was a queen," said Meghan Latini. "I felt special."

She describes prom night as a dream come true.

"A lot of people were cheering for me, so I was pretty happy," said the 17-year-old.

Both Latini and Higgins graduated from Huntington High School this year. They have been dating for four years but have known each other since they were in pre-school.

While most schools are usually judged by their test scores or athletics, Latini's parents say the generous act of the student body really shows the character of the students and the school community.

"Megs is special to us but to get that kind of recognition from your peers, that is really something, and it felt great," said Joe Latini, the teen's father.

Recent graduate Samantha Palmer was also nominated for prom queen, but she says she voted for Latini.

"They won, like, cutest couple for our grade and everyone loves them," said Palmer. "That's why I voted for them."

Josh Morris, a student at Huntington High School, said, "A lot of the seniors grew up with them, they've known them since kindergarten and many people really thought they deserved it."

Next year Latini and Higgins are going to attend the same tech school, but they have their sights set on college.

Homecoming King challenges society's preconceptions about what he could or should do

from My San Antonio:

Fall Friday nights in South Texas mean high school football. Along with the season come traditions such as homecoming and the election of student body royalty.

Homecoming kings and queens and their royal courts represent a flight of fancy, an opportunity to play make-believe and claim the regal titles of a fantasy world. But what took place last week at Alamo Heights High School was a real-world lesson about human spirit and the nobility of human character.

Heights senior Drew Boynton has Down syndrome. At some point, he mentioned to classmates his desire to become this year's homecoming king.

It might have seemed like a whimsical notion at first. But the campaign to elect Drew gained momentum, first among his fellow special education students and their peer mentors, then among others in the student body.

When the votes were tallied last week, Drew had won the crown. In an emotional halftime ceremony Friday night at Orem Stadium, Drew claimed his title.

Not so many years ago, the idea that students with developmental disabilities could be educated in a traditional school environment seemed like a whimsical notion. Yet people like Drew have challenged society's preconceptions about what they could or should do.

Alamo Heights students deserve praise for turning Drew's dream into a reality that he will cherish for a lifetime. But the biggest congratulations are due to Drew for reminding those around him of the potential for greatness that resides within every human being.

Prom King and Queen, and they happen to have Down syndrome

From azcentral.com:

From AZ C"I imagined that she would be snubbed and made fun of and not be given opportunities," Mary Alten said. "I imagined that every day at school would be a struggle for her."

Instead, something wonderful happened.

Toni, now a senior at Loveland High, was crowned queen at Loveland's prom April 30. And her friend, Drew Anderson, also a senior with Down syndrome, was crowned king by their classmates.

As students cheered and placed a plush crown on Drew's head and a jeweled tiara on Toni's, Mary Alten clapped and cried.

"It really hit me at prom that night: What I had imagined for her turned out to be the exact opposite," she said. "That she would be so well-known and well-liked and accepted at school -- that was a pretty huge thing for us."

On prom night, when the royal winners were announced, the instant cheers, claps and smiles were universal and genuine.

"No one was upset; everyone was excited about the result," said Lauren Tipton, a senior who has known Drew since second grade. "Usually people are catty if they don't win. Usually they just vote for their friends. Drew and Tony are friends with everybody."

When Toni heard his name, he smiled and waved a peace sign to the crowd. "Everybody was happy," Drew said later.

When it was time, Drew and Toni clasped hands and danced in the spotlight to a Taylor Swift song. After a few moments, their classmates joined them.

Later they posed for pictures. Drew held up his hands up in a victory pose and Toni hoisted her bouquet over her head. There were high-fives and hugs, and some classmates and parents wiped tears from their eyes.

Two weeks later, Drew and Toni can still be seen sporting their crowns on the bus or at school. "I am the queen and Drew, he's my friend," Toni said. "I'm lovin' high school."