TAMPA, Fla. — March 21 is recognized as World Down Syndrome Day, and for the third straight year, students at Lamb Elementary School in Tampa have come together to learn more about the condition and celebrate their classmates who have Down syndrome. 

What You Need To Know

  •  March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day

  •  Lamb Elementary School hosts a fashion show every year to celebrate the day and their students who have Down syndrome

  •  The Down Syndrome Association of Tampa Bay says teaching kids about the condition is important for inclusion and acceptance

Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher Che Counce puts on a fashion show every year to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. She’s prepared her students and rehearsed with the stars of this year’s show: fourth graders Craig Jr. and Carter. Counce said the entire school will attend the fashion show, from Pre-K through fifth grade.

“We do the fashion show to raise awareness for Down syndrome. It’s really important at a school to reach kids at a young age to talk to them about what Down syndrome is, and what makes Down syndrome so special,” said Counce.

After all the planning and rehearsing, the big day is finally here.

“How is everybody doing today? Good!” said Counce as the fashion show started.

It's the 2024 World Down Syndrome Day Fashion Show at Lamb Elementary. Craig Woodard Sr. explained more to the students.

“What the extra chromosome does for individuals blessed with Down syndrome like Craig Jr. is it gives them a delay in special things, a slight intellectual disability,” he said. 

He is Craig Jr.’s dad, and he and his wife started the Down Syndrome Association of Tampa Bay six years ago to help other families, like theirs, who have children with Down syndrome.

“Craig Jr. was born April 13, 2014. He’s going on ten years old and he changed our lives forever. We didn’t know at that time what Down syndrome was all about. We did all the research — you’re going to find the good, the bad, the ugly,” said Craig Sr.

Since then, they’ve learned a lot about Craig Jr.’s condition, but the most important thing they’ve learned: “Inclusion is extremely important. To be able to spread the word and let people know that these kids are just like you, just slightly different,” said Craig Sr.

It’s something Craig Jr.’s classmates completely understand as they cheer him on while he walks the runway, and his General Education classmates even surprised Craig Jr. with “I Heart Craig” t-shirts.

Craig Sr. said seeing the love for his son from his classmates is proof they’re doing something right.

“We have a motto that says, ‘We’re changing the world one conversation at a time,’ and it starts with the youth because they’re our future,” he said.

The Down Syndrome Association of Tampa Bay offers various resources for families with children who have Down syndrome.