When the Monticello High School prom was quickly approaching, it was time for students to finalize their plans for the big night. As a junior, this was Annie Schlarmann’s first chance to attend. As much as she was looking forward to it, this student with Down syndrome had yet to make any plans. At least that was the case until some of her friends found out.
“We heard that Annie didn’t have anyone to go with for prom, and we thought it would be so fun to make her night special,” Maria McCarthy, one of her friends says. “So, we all got together, and we got to do so much fun stuff, like we got to go out to eat, we went axe throwing and we got ice cream.”
This night meant oh-so much to Annie. Together, she and her friends had an absolute blast! In fact, just talking about how prom night went makes Annie emotional.
Student With Down Syndrome Tears Up Over Fun Prom Night With Friends
“I had a lot of fun last night because my friends are really nice to me, and I love them,” Annie says through tears. “And they mean a lot to me.”
Annie’s sister, Ellen, couldn’t be happier as well, both as a sibling and a teacher.
“I always impress on my students how important learning is at school, but it’s not just the academics they’re learning, but shaping them into people,” Ellen shares. “This was just a beautiful example of what kindness and empathy look like.”
Meanwhile, taking Annie to prom was a no-brainer for her friends. Just like they mean the world to Annie, the opposite is just as true.
“Anyone should have this special night,” another friend, Kate Green, notes. “Annie deserves it more than anyone, so I’m glad we were able to do that for her.”
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