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The road to their high school graduation day might have been difficult, but these two best friends with special needs defied the odds. When Odin Frost and Jordan Granberry were born, they were both given very low survival rates due to brain damage. Some doctors thought they wouldn’t live very long, and if ever they
Earning a bachelor’s degree is far from easy, especially for people with special needs. Despite having down syndrome, AnnaRose Rubright soldiered on and proved that even with her condition, she could accomplish her goals. In early May, the 24-year-old finally earned the fruit of her hard work. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in radio,
It’s not just a cookie! More than enjoying a tasty treat, when people purchase Girl Scout cookies they help power leadership development and entrepreneurship, build confidence, enhance teamwork and planning, and create wonderful memories for Girl Scout troops. Now three women have formed their own Girl Scout troop to make scouting more meaningful and inclusive,
Who knew that an ordinary day of shopping would bring about such a beautiful moment? Demi Garza-Pena and her 2-year-old son Ollie were at the Target store in Peoria, Arizona when the little boy stopped in his tracks. They were moving through a rack of clothes when the young boy looked up in astonishment. He
Millions of people are expected to watch the Super Bowl, one of the world’s biggest sporting events, to see who wins the National Football League championship between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. But what can match up to a heart-pounding game with a rousing and much-awaited halftime show? Why, a Puppy
Mattel, the maker of Barbie and other similarly iconic toys, released new designs under its Fashionista line to showcase a more multi-dimensional and inclusive definition of beauty and fashion. It’s also more reflective of reality, as the new models highlight various skin tones, heights, and bodies, and conditions such as vitiligo and alopecia. For the
When Colleen Powell, a SPED teacher, walked down the aisle at her wedding, she knew that she wanted two people to give her away to her future husband – her father, Greg Costello, and her 10-year-old student, Dominic May. Dominic has Down syndrome and is non-verbal, yet he’s touched Colleen’s heart in so many ways.
As adults, we have a ton of responsibilities on our plates. We are tasked to maintain our homes, we experience pressure at work, and some of us are raising children. With age comes knowledge, and as we grow older, we gain wisdom about how to deal with life’s challenges. We tend to believe that there
Watch out Naomi Campbell, Devon Aoki and Cara Delivigne there is a new supermodel in town! A four-year-old smiling girl with Down syndrome is becoming a champion for inclusion after participating in numerous fashion shows and winning various modeling competitions. In a recent charity fashion show for models with disabilities, Francesca Rausi expertly walked the
Homecoming night was more than special this year for Arapahoe High School. When Terri Stokes heard about his son, Noah’s popularity, she had no idea how his peers love his son. This year, Arapahoe Highschool crowned their homecoming royalties Noah and Khrystya. In the video footage of their nomination, the pair were welcomed by the
As recently as 1983, the average life expectancy of people with Down syndrome was 25 years. Today, that number has increased to approximately 60 years, which can be largely attributed to the end of the cruel practice of institutionalizing babies born with this condition. To say that people with Down syndrome have gone through a
Though it wasn’t part of his plan, this National Football League trainer was inspired to build a one-of-a-kind gym for people with disabilities. Ned Norton’s biggest dream was to become a strength coach in the NFL. So when he reached his teenage years, he started working towards that goal and began powerlifting. Fast forward to