Down Syndrome Awareness Month starts with 2 local buddy events – The Jackson Sun
Down Syndrome Awareness Month starts with 2 local buddy events The Jackson Sun
MEDINA — The Best Buddies program has been in place at South Gibson County High School for six years, and the students enjoyed their annual matching night this week.
“Matching night is when we officially pair students from our special-needs class with other students in the school,” said Amber Williams, the special education coordinator at South Gibson.
Matching night wasn’t simply an announcement of matches. It was a party in the school’s cafetorium.
“We want this to be a fun night as the students are finding out who they will be hanging out with and spending a lot of time with this school year,” Williams said.
And there were a lot of people wanting to come to the party.
“We had over 100 students sign up to be a part of the program this year,” said Angie Page, whose daughter was one of those who signed up.
Debbie Riffle’s son, Kevin, enjoys the program.
“Kevin is one that really has a lot of fun and likes to have fun with other people,” Riffle said. “And the buddies he’s had over the years have loved him, too.
“It’s been a win-win situation for everybody.”
South Gibson was the first high school between Memphis and Nashville to have this kind of program and the only one to have had one sustained for as long as it has.
“Amber does so much for these kids — at school and outside school — and she does a great job bringing a team of people together to make it happen,” Riffle said. “And it’s great because life can be difficult for kids with Down syndrome or any other special need because people are uncomfortable around different people they’re not familiar with.
“This program has broken down a lot of those walls and created a new atmosphere for the special-needs students here at South Gibson.”
Of the 100-plus who signed up for the program, 17 are special-needs students, which means there were plenty of available buddies for them. Many of those students were at the party Monday, having fun in a carnival-type atmosphere after all of the matches were announced and presented on stage.
Games like cornhole and limbo were set up around the room along with concessions. The evening ended with an impromptu dance party on the stage for the students, their buddies and anyone else who wanted to show off their moves.
The Down Syndrome Buddy Walk, hosted by the National Down Syndrome Society, will be at Union University under the clock tower on campus Saturday. Registration is at 1 p.m. The walk starts at 2 p.m. It’s free to walk as part of the group.
“October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and the walk is an awareness walk that promotes acceptance and inclusion within their communities,” said Riffle, a coordinator of the event. “Sweet Jordan’s, a business in Paris owned by a young man with Down syndrome, will be there selling sweet treats for any walkers who want any.”
The Down Syndrome Association of West Tennessee is online at www.dsawt.com. It has a page on Facebook titled Down Syndrome Association WTN for more information as well. For more information email dsawt321tn@gmail.com.
Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.
Published 7:08 PM EDT Oct 4, 2019
