October is Down Syndrome Awareness month and in an effort to help support our Leyden Special Olympic teams as well as GiGi’s Playhouse, t-shirts were sold by the Special Education department.

GiGi’s Playhouses are Down Syndrome awareness and educational centers that provide resources, specialized teaching, and support to individuals with Down Syndrome, their families and the community.

Down Syndrome is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes, instead of the usual 46. People with Down Syndrome can have physical problems as well as intellectual disabilities.

Here at Leyden, “we have families who work with Gigi’s playhouse as well as some staff members who are a part of the program” special education teacher Jessica Kelly said.

She, along with several special education teachers, is helping bring awareness through the t-shirt fundraiser.

This is the first time the department has raised funds for GiGi’s playhouse and for Special Olympics.

“We hope to not only raise money for our Special Olympics teams as well as Gigi’s Playhouse, but to also raise awareness throughout the district that these disabilities exist, and not just in the LIFE program, but in both campuses.”

The LIFE program is a program at West that provides opportunities for 18-22 year old students to develop personal independence through community-based skill development in vocational, social and recreational, community, and personal living and domestic activities.

The LIFE population consists of a variety of disabilities, but their two most prominent ones are Down Syndrome and Autism. This year they’ve chosen to focus on those two disabilities beginning with Down Syndrome.

The colors of the Down Syndrome ribbon are blue and gold, so everyone who purchased shirts is encouraged to wear them every Friday during the month of October to show both your Leyden pride and your support for this cause.