Bloomburg ISD promotes Down Syndrome awareness

 By Bobby Horn Jr. 
news@casscountynow.com 
CASS COUNTY—Each year approximately 6,000 children are born with Down Syndrome, approx­imately one in every 691 births. 
Loretta Cothren, stu­dent council advisor with Bloomburg High School, said that October has been designated as Down Syn­drome Awareness Month as part of a national out­reach designed to spread awareness. 
“During the month of October, we celebrate people with Down Syn­drome and make people aware of their abilities and accomplishments,” Co­thren said. “It is not about celebrating disabilities, it is about celebrating abili­ties.” 
On Oct. 11 Commis­sioners’ Court unani­mously approved a res­olution naming October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month in Cass County. Several students from Bloomburg, as well as teachers and staff at­tended the proclamation signing. 
In attendance were Student Council Presi­dent Trinity Mouser, Vice President Emma Autry, Secretary (and Honor Society secretary) Katlyn Wilson, Treasurer Hope Parker and Parliamentar­ian Garrit Blizzard. Also, Bloomburg’s Ambassador for Down Syndrome Zach Giles, National Honor So­ciety President Andrew Runnels, Vice President Selena Gaskin, Treasuer Grace Lummus, Advisor Whitney Farmer, Princi­pal Andrew Rankin and Business Educator and Director of Public Rela­tions Lauren Anderson. 
According to the Na­tional Down Syndrome Society, “in every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes re­sponsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromo­somes. Typically, the nu­cleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chro­mosome 21. 
This additional ge­netic material alters the course of development and causes the charac­teristics associated with Down syndrome. A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm, although each person with Down syn­drome is a unique individ­ual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.”

Photo: Bloomburg Down Syndrome Ambassador Zach Giles with County Judge Becky Wilbanks at the signing of the proc­lamation naming October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month in Cass County.