Students rock their socks for World Down Syndrome Day

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Medina Middle School teachers and students made some unique choices with their footwear Wednesday.

“World Down Syndrome Day is a day to celebrate people with Down syndrome and also to spread awareness,” Megan Tomlin, a fourth grade teacher, said.

Students and teachers wore colorful socks to mark the occasion.

Tomlin has a son with Down syndrome. She says the socks are a great way to get people talking.

“When someone sees your socks, they’ll say ‘hey, why are you wearing crazy socks?’ It’s just a perfect opener to explain what today is,” Tomlin said.

This is the second year for the school to rock their socks, but students are doing even more outside the classroom to spread awareness.

Brett Wyatt made a video with Karcyn Williams showing how people with Down syndrome aren’t that different from people without it.

Both students and teachers at Medina Middle School want you to know Down syndrome isn’t anything to be afraid of.

“They like stuff that you do. They’re like you,” Kaleb Williams, a fifth grader and Karcyn’s brother, said. “You don’t have to make fun of them just because they can’t talk like you can.”

“Everyone with Down syndrome is different, just like people without Down syndrome are different, so it’s a wonderful day to celebrate and to spread awareness,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin says that more schools joined in this year to spread awareness and she can’t wait to see how it grows in the years to come.