Lansing Intermediate Celebrates World Down Syndrome Day with Down Syndrome Gallery Walk (VIDEO)
Fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Laurie Holden, helped Lansing Intermediate School celebrate World Down Syndrome Day this week to promote awareness and acceptance to the condition.
Lansing Intermediate Student Council promoted a school-wide "Rock Your Socks" on Tuesday, March 23rd, and students throughout the school were encouraged to wear their favorite crazy socks. Mrs. Holden also created a Down Syndrome Gallery Walk by hanging 21 posters containing down syndrome facts. Students were given sheets to write down each fact, and each poster contained either a fact or QR code with a short video students could watch to learn more about the condition. The gallery walk was left up all week to be sure all classes had the opportunity to participate.
Inspiration for this year's awareness activities comes from fourth grade student, Brie Hope, who has down syndrome. Each of her classmates created a heart for Brie and wrote what they had learned from her this year. The hearts were hung next to Brie's poster at the entrance of the fourth grade hallway. You can watch the video to hear each student's message for Brie and see her reaction to her classmates.
According to worlddownsyndromeday.org, down syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is "a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, being universally present across racial, gender or socioeconomic lines in approximately 1 in 800 live births, although there is considerable variation worldwide. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues." March 21st was chosen as the date for bringing awareness because it is the 21st day of the 3rd month and signifies "the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome."