3-21, World Down Syndrome Day
The Paton-Churdan gymnasium was the scene Friday morning for the largest dance party ever seen there as the entire student body joined in the Get Down 4 Down Syndrome 3-2-1 Challenge.
Emily Hansen of Ames, instigator of the 3-2-1 Challenge was at the party with her 8-year-old brother Tyler Osborn (left), who is her inspiration. Their sister Megan Osborn (right) was with them, too. Tyler attends school at United Community School just west of Ames. Pictured with them is P-C junior Kourtlin Thacker.
Hansen explained that the idea for the challenge came to her last fall when the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS went viral on the internet. She wanted to do something for Tyler, and a friend who teaches dance suggested a dance event, “Get Down 4 Down.” Hansen tweaked the name to “Get Down 4 Down Syndrome” for more correctness.
The 3-2-1 Challenge invites everyone to challenge three people to dance for two minutes for one good cause – Down Syndrome awareness. Hansen made a video with Tyler and posted it to Facebook. The video and the challenge have gone viral; the video is now has nearly 200,000 views. To see it, click here: 3-2-1 Challenge
“Tyler and I would like to not only share our love for dancing but, create awareness of Down Syndrome and ask others to not limit or judge individuals who are different than you,” Hansen said in her Facebook video. “We’re all people and everyone deserve to be loved and treated with dignity and respect. So have fun, get creative and most importantly stop limiting others. “
Students were invited to wear funky socks and “rock their socks” for the day. Principal Annie Smith reminded the students of the reason: “You want some one to say to you, ‘Why are you wearing those crazy socks today?’ It’s a chance to say ‘It’s because I want you to know that it’s World Down Syndrome Day and I wanted you to ask me so I can educate you about it. I want to teach you just a little bit about it’.”
Smith told the student body that the reason for marking World Down Syndrome Day was not only to learn more about Down Syndrome, but to celebrate “that each one of you is an individual and offers so much for the world to see.”
For the past 10 years, March 21 has been marked at World Down Syndrome Day because the date, 3-21, represents a trisomy on the 21st chromosome. (Normal chromosomes come in pairs, numbered from 1 to 23. A person with Down Syndrome has an extra chromosome on the 21st pair.) This is the third year P-C has done a special activity for World Down Syndrome Day.
After the brief presentation, the entire P-C student body moved to the floor to dance for two minutes to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.” Students at every grade level, as well as staff, joined in the fun. They were treated to special Down Syndrome Day cookies afterward.
