OLDS — Two youth with Down syndrome are believed to have been the first to ever graduate from École Olds High School.
During Friday’s cap and gown ceremony, Anthony and Connor crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, just like their peers.
In most cases, they’ve been with those peers right from Grade 1.
Through the Albertan, Anthony was asked how he felt about graduating.
“I am happy and a little bit sad. I will miss seeing my friends and my teachers,” he said.
He was asked what he plans to do next.
“I will enjoy the summer then look for a job in the fall,” Anthony said.
“I would like to work with a sports team and maybe keep working at the fitness centre and at one of my favorite fast food restaurants.”
Anthony said he had fun at school.
“Grade 8 was the best, with Mrs. Hoppins and all my friends,” he said.
“I had lots of fun in futures class and I love wearing my Calgary Flames shirt to tease my friend Connor. He likes the Oilers.”
Anthony said his favourite classes were gym, shop and leadership. But on the other hand, “I don't like doing math or reading much,” he said.
Janessa Weiss talked to the Albertan about Connor.
Weiss said Connor can read and can count, but he can't add.
However, he has other skills.
“When he was younger and watched cartoons, he could tell you all the voices, what other movies they were in, what the directors were like,” she said.
“He can retain that kind of information and recognize faces.”
He makes associations with people.
For example, Connor has an uncle who likes to make a popping sound by pulling the inside of his cheek with a finger.
“Every time he sees him, he does that, because that's how he associates somebody with something,” Weiss said.
Weiss had high praise for the entire school system.
“All his teachers and all of his aides have been amazing with the patience they have for them and getting them to do things that we can't,” she said.
Weiss said Connor was excited to be graduating.
“I know on the first day of school, he told Mrs. (Jamie-Dee) Marshall (an ÉOHS teacher who worked with Connor and Anthony) that he was ready go pick out his suit.
“I don't think he quite grasps what it actually means to graduate, but he tells me he's not moving out.”
Weiss was asked what Connor will do now that he’s graduated.
She said he’s been working at McDonald’s and may continue doing so.
“He has an aide that goes with him, and he loves to go,” she said.
Connor has also involved with Olds Association for Community Living.
“I'm hoping they're going to increase that exposure into the community, and hopefully some job hours somewhere,” Weiss said.
One of the greatest aspects of Connor’s character is his sense of humour, Weiss indicated.
“He's a little clown,” she said. “He's got a really good sense of humour. He cracks jokes, and he drives his dad (Leonard) crazy. He was bugging him (the other day) about the Oilers.”
In his spare time, if he’s not playing or watching sports, Connor listens to music – mostly from the ‘80s – on his iPad.
“At the first note, he can tell you what song it is. He just has a really good memory for all that information,” Weiss said.
Like Anthony, math is not Connor’s strong suit.
Connor’s not physically adept either, so the phys ed teachers allowed him to be a referee.
“He had a lot of fun with that, too, with jerseys and blowing the whistle and putting people in the penalty box,” Weiss said.
He also likes to get groceries.
“Every Monday, we have to get out his list for what to get at the grocery store,” Weiss said.
“He has a bank card that he uses, and then I just reimburse him afterwards. he's supposed to use his pin, but he doesn't, I'm sure of it.”
The grad ceremonies were very poignant for Jamie-Dee Marshall who knew both boys all the way back to when she was a teacher at École Deer Meadow School.
In the high school, she was the student support lead for boys. That meant organizing their programming. They attended regular stream classes but also attended classes on things like life skills.
“They came through the elementary school through middle school, and then came to the high school,” she said.
“Connor and Anthony are both just members of our community, and so they're pretty interwoven into the culture of our schools,” she added.
“I think as they get older, they have more confidence and more advocates and allies around them.”
Marshall said she really admires the attitude that Connor and Anthony take toward problems or obstacles they may face.
“I would say they wouldn't necessarily view things as obstacles,” she said.
“Their perspective is so positive and uplifting that anything that maybe was seen as an obstacle is more of an opportunity.
“Probably the greatest gift that they've given us is that there aren't obstacles.
“I think they've opened up the eyes and softened up the hearts of our staff and community, because they just don't see things within a negative light, so then we don't see it that way either. They're pretty great.”
They were friendly too with school staff and their peers.
“Connor greets the high school students coming into our school every day, and Anthony opens the doors and engages and connects with his peers in phys ed settings,” Marshall said.
“When you meet someone who opens the door and smiles, you know, it just sort of makes your day, and they do that.”
Marshall is also pleased with the way Connor and Anthony’s peers accepted them and looked out for them.
“They're kind of celebrities in our school. Quite honestly, I think that people step in and watch out for them.”
Both Connor and Anthony have blazed a path for Down syndrome or other special needs kids to follow and have shown great leadership.
“Right now Connor goes over to the elementary school once a week and he reads with a Grade 1 class. That class has a student that has Down syndrome, so that child is looking up and seeing himself in Connor,” Marshall said.
“Anthony goes to École Deer Meadow once a week. he helps organize and stays in a phys ed class, and he's able to be the helper.
“He walks in the room and they all cheer and say hi to Anthony,” she added.
“I think they have a real sense of belonging in their community, because they've been in the schools with their same age peers all these years.”
