The story of Shellie Eyre is of a life lived with courage, determination and unrestricted love for everyone she meets. She was born in 1979 with Down syndrome and is the second child of a family of four children. At three years of age she experienced a major setback in the form of a stroke that left her paralyzed on her left side. But her optimistic outlook and her boundless perseverance made it obvious to all who knew her that she would succeed in overcoming whatever obstacles would be presented to her.

Her school years were a wonderful time of learning a gaining many friends. This culminated in her senior year at Murray High School in Utah when she was selected as the 1997 Homecoming Queen. She had been one of the most popular girls in school because of her easy smile and loving heart. Her landslide victory was due in part to a wonderfully accepting student body that embraced unselfish inclusion, and to Shellie’s attitude toward all her classmates. When asked why everyone liked Shellie so much, one of the students said, “It’s hard not to love Shellie when you know how much she loves you.”

The evening she was selected as Homecoming Queen was an experience that few will ever forget. Even the other Homecoming Candidates felt that there were no losers that night, but that they, and all who were there, had participated in an event where every person had won.

Shellie’s inspirational life is an example of what true beauty can be and where love, acceptance, and inclusion can triumph over any disabilities.

http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2009/07/nj-high-school-honors-classmate-with.html

KRISTEN

  When Kristen Shenowski started kindergarten nearly 14 years ago, she had no trouble making friends.It didn't seem to matter that she was the only child with Down syndrome in a class of typical children.

"Kristen has this energy, and she's always happy. Who wouldn't want to spend time with her?" said Gabby Arenge, who, like Kristen, just finished her junior year at Northern Burlington County Regional High School in Columbus. "She's taught us so much -- how to respect, how to love, and how to open your heart to everyone, no matter what. She's always got a smile or a hug, and I can't picture my life without her."

    Kristen's classmates found the ultimate way to express that sentiment when they chose her as their prom queen last month. It wasn't something the students talked about in advance. They all just voted from their hearts.
 "It made me feel proud that people saw past everything else and saw that she deserved it." said Arenge.

    For Kristen, the honor generated a lot of excitement -- applause when her nomination was announced over the school loudspeaker, visits to dress shops and a hair salon, and countless dances with boys at the junior-senior prom.

For her parents, Yvonne and Richard Shenowski, the moment was beyond what they could have imagined when they mainstreamed Kristen at the school. "It was unbelievable -- words can't describe it," Yvonne said. "It was one of those moments that you cherish forever, but it's not something you would imagine when you have a baby with Down syndrome." "I cried for two weeks straight" after hearing the news of Kristen's election, the mother added. "My husband took the DVD of the prom to work and had a lot of grown men crying, too."
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2009/07/students_elect_a_very_special.html