Jefferson Forest High School recently crowned two of its students with Down Syndrome as Prom King and Queen. Zane Wales and Natalee Anderson received the royal treatment and danced the night away in their prom attire. Wales expressed that his favorite part of the night was receiving the crown, while Anderson enjoyed dancing the night away.
Heather Hevener, a teacher at Jefferson Forest High School, explained that the idea to make Wales and Anderson prom king and queen came from their fellow students. The students felt that Wales and Anderson were a part of them and wanted to ensure that they felt included. The campaign began in February or March when some students decided to nominate Wales for prom king.
Wales and Anderson had no idea what their classmates had planned for them. However, they were ecstatic when they were announced as the Prom King and Queen. The moment was captured on video and shared on social media. Several Facebook users were moved by the touching moment between the two students. They expressed their joy and admiration for the school’s initiative to include Wales and Anderson in such a special event.
The school staff said that they would never forget the heartfelt moment. Wales and Anderson’s Prom King and Queen title was indeed a royal treatment of a lifetime for them, and one that they will cherish forever. The gesture demonstrated how inclusion and acceptance are important in building a more compassionate society.
