Cumberland Trace Elementary celebrates World Down Syndrome Day

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Students and staff at Cumberland Trace Elementary School paired their celebration of World Down Syndrome Day with “crazy sock day,” as students lined the hallways to cheer on their students with down syndrome.

Caleb Kirchner, a special education teacher at Cumberland Trace, says that the students at the school are unified, no matter what their differences are.

“They’re students at Cumberland Trace, no matter what. So the uniqueness and the special things that they bring with them just add value to our school. The way that they are so happy, and celebrate people is just a beautiful thing for us to have here,” said Kirchner.

Kirchner, or “Mr. K,” says that seeing how his students develop over time is one important aspect of his career as an educator.

Kirchner said, “I spend a lot of my day working with them on reading and math skills, and behavior and social skills, so I spend a lot of time with those guys, and it’s been awesome getting to know them over the past two years of having them.”

Students and teachers alike say that today’s celebration only solidified that at Cumberland Trace, students’ differences are embraced and celebrated.

“You see that in students’ faces, in students’ hugs, all those things. My students are welcome, the resource students are welcomed here too,” said Kirchner. “Everybody operates as Cumberland Trace, it’s not “this class, and this class, and this class,” it’s that… we’re all kind of one school, one collective.”

World Down Syndrome day is celebrated on March 21 each year to acknowledge the triplication of the 21st chromosome in individuals with down syndrome.

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