Girl with Down syndrome voted Homecoming Queen
Categories: Teens & tweens, Education, Special needs
While America waits on the edge of its seat to see who will win the Presidential election, teenagers everywhere are engaged in a much more "important" vote -- that of homecoming king and queen. Though Election 2008 may be anything but settled, high school homecoming results are usually far more predictable.Not so at Aledo High School in Texas where teens recently voted Kristin Pass as their queen. What's so special about Kristin? Not only is she "the coolest kid in the whole wide world," according to her aunt, Chari Hust, she also has Down syndrome. "Everyone in the stands burst into tears -- I've never heard anything so loud in my life," said Hust. And Kristin? She mouthed the words "thank you" to the crowd while wearing "a smile as big as the state of Texas."
Hust says there was no campaign to elect Kristin, but that she's just a beloved friend among her peers. Making the story especially poignant is the fact that Kristin's dad passed away suddenly two years ago. Her grandfather stepped in for him to escort Kristin onto stage. "You can't measure how proud I was," he said. "Every fiber in my body was happy for her."
In a month that's been littered with economic crisis and political backbiting, those darn kids in Texas just restored my hope in humanity. Congratulations, Kristin.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Julie 10-15-2008 @ 2:16PM
My daughters highschool in Semmes Alabama also elected a downs syndrome girl as their 2008 homecoming queen...I am really proud of them
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Kristen 10-15-2008 @ 10:09PM
Oh, wow, that just got me all choked up. I don't think that ever would have happened in my high school, unfortunately, but I hope kids around the country hear about this and realize that it's cool to care, and being nice is actually a good quality, you know?
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Trevor 10-16-2008 @ 11:33AM
wow what an amazing thing to happen, both in texas and in julie's case in alabama. Unfortunatly the kids i attended high school with would never have been so nice or thoughtful, but that's the poor product of growing up rich and spoiled like a bannana in the sun. thankfully being poor in such an affluent community has helped me to appreciate stories like these, stories of true humanity.
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Carol 10-16-2008 @ 12:13PM
I think this goes to show that not all is lost in our schools. It seems all we hear are the negative and how bad our schools are when in fact that is "some" schools. My kids go to a smaller school in the midwest and for the most part the kids do look out for one another. WAY TO GO KRISTIN!!!!
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Tracie 10-17-2008 @ 3:42PM
My beautiful little daughter, Amanda, was born with Down Syndrome. Though she's only 21 months old now, and her school days are not right around the corner, I do think about her future. I can only hope & pray that the children she attends school with show the same kind of compassion, caring & respect that the children at Aledo High have shown. What a great group of teens, and what a special young girl Kristen is. Congrats, Kristen - Kudos, Aledo High!
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