DEARBORN — Students at Iris Becker Elementary School recently pooled their resources to raise $900 for the Down Syndrome Guild of Southeast Michigan. According to Paulette Duggins, the executive director of the DSGSM, the money will be used to send students with Down Syndrome to camp this summer.

Down Syndrome is a set of physical and mental traits often caused by prenatal gene problems. Most people with Down Syndrome have 47 chromosomes, rather than the 46 a person usually has. Children with Down Syndrome often have such features as a flat face, small ears and a short neck, as well as a mild to moderate degree of intellectual disability.

The DSGSM provides support, resources and advocacy for the purpose of increasing awareness and opportunities for individuals with Down Syndrome, their families and caregivers.

March 21 was the 10th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day and this year the Parent Teacher Association at Becker Elementary worked closely with the DSGSM to raise awareness about the disorder.

“I think this event is not only about raising awareness for children with Down Syndrome,” said PTA member Layla Jawad. “It is also about teaching our children it is important to give back to the community and volunteer their time to good causes. We want to teach them to be community givers.” 

The PTA asked students to raise the money by making donations to their teachers for the DSGSM. 

Students raised additional money by selling logos (which were hung up in the hallways) after school for $1. They also paid to participate in such events as “Spirit Week”, “Nerd Day”, “Backward Day”, “White T-shirt Day” and “Dress-Up Day.” 

Principal David Higgins said it was “exciting and great news” that the students raised $900, adding that some decided to forego buying snacks after lunch and donate the money to DSGSM instead.

Higgins said one little boy came running down the hall when they were collecting and made sure he put his dollar in his class’ jar. 

“It was meaningful to him,” Higgins said.

On Monday, March 23, Higgins and PTA member Ayda El-Saghir presented Duggins with a $900 check during a special event at the school.

During the event, students watched a video the PTA had made about Down Syndrome.

Members of Iris Becker Elementary School’s PTA stand with Paulette Duggins, executive director of the Down Syndrome Guild of Southeast Michigan.

“We need our kids in the community to know each of them is unique and has differences, but we have to accept each other,” El-Saghir told students. “We shouldn’t use labels. Each one of you is unique. Each one of you has your own differences… Life would be easier if we accepted each other as we are. Please let’s practice; look at our friends, neighbors, sisters, brothers and accept them as they are.”

She also said the PTA was proud of the students and wanted to thank all of them for helping to raise the money.

El-Saghir also said the PTA wants children to be more understanding towards children with disabilities.

“What was nice about this is not a lot of people know too much about Down Syndrome,” PTA member Chirrinne Zaitouni said. “I have a son and he asked questions about what it was. That was the purpose of this.” 

“We are all unique and yet we are all more alike than different,” Duggins told the students. “So thank you from the students going to camp this summer.” 

David Dewitt Taylor, who has Down Syndrome, served as the event’s DJ and played the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

“The money is pretty secondary,” Duggins said. “It is about raising awareness. Having an opportunity to come and talk to the students about what Down Syndrome is, that is really what is important. You want people to have some amount of knowledge that people with disabilities are very much like them and they want to be included.” 

There are many misconceptions about people with Down Syndrome. Often people think those with the disorder are limited to what they can accomplish.

Duggins discussed some of the misconceptions.

“I think the two biggest misconceptions are that children are not mainstream; that they are not included; that they are not able to learn,” she said. “Our kids are very much able to learn and grow and participate in the community on all levels given the opportunity.”

She said today people with Down Syndrome are living a lot longer because of early intervention.

“They are just in a general better health,” Duggins said, adding that people with Down Syndrome go to college, are independent, working and getting married.

In the past, the PTA has hosted events to raise money for other charitable groups, including Children With Hair Loss, which provides locks of hair to young people with cancer, alopecia, burns, trichotillomania and other rare diseases and disorders.

The PTA plans on partnering with other charitable groups in the future to raise children’s awareness about other important causes.