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Virginia High School Names Students with Down Syndrome as Prom King and Queen

Every student looks forward to prom night. It’s the night they get to dress their best and maybe bring a cute date. Prom is a pretty big deal in the US especially. It’s a staple plot element in a lot of coming-of-age movies.

We get it, prom is a big night. But have you ever stopped to think how prom is for people who were born a bit different from you? Of course, I’m talking about people with conditions like down syndrome.

Two students with Down syndrome were recently selected as their high school’s prom king and queen!

Jefferson Forest High School in Virginia gave students Anna Anderson and Zane Wales the honor last month, according to WSET.

Anderson and Wales’ classmates wanted to show them how important they are to their community, teacher Heather Hevener told the news station.

“They see these kids every day. They walk the same halls with these same kids, and they just feel like they’re part of them, so they wanted to make sure that they also really felt part of them.” – said Heather Hevener, one of their teachers

And so the big day came, and everyone was there.
Zane was minding his own at the dance floor until a student with a mic called his name. Of course, he had no idea why.

The student at the top of the stairs then announced it. You’re our prom king, Zane!
Cheering ensued, and Zane raised his fist in the air to accept the cheers. But that wasn’t all of it. For every prom king, there should be a prom queen.

And here comes the prom queen, as chosen by the whole school: Anna!
She’s smiling, he’s smiling, and so is everyone else. This was a prom night to remember, for all the right reasons.

School can be a very different experience for some other people. Besides down syndrome, fitting in can also be a challenge for people with autism or bipolar disorder.

Zane and Anna were still smiling after their prom coronation. Seems like it really meant a lot to them!

Watch how these students surprised Zane and Anna below. Please share this article as well!

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