The Queen with a Little Something Extra By
Australian model, Madeline Stuart, may be in the limelight changing society's perceptions about people with disabilities, but that's a lesson that the students at Johnston City High School have known for nearly half a decade.
On Wednesday evening, Laini Williams was crowned as the 2016 Homecoming Queen. Laini, popular with her classmates, is a social butterfly. She stops to chat with teachers and students between classes. She is the Spirit Leader. She's been a twirler, a member of the student council, and even played softball. She is a regular on the stage in the school's musical and drama productions. She's everyone's favorite and everyone is her favorite.
Laini also has Down Syndrome.
According to the National Down Syndrome Society, one in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down Syndrome, making it the most common genetic condition. Down Syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21, altering the course of development and causing the characteristics associated with Down Syndrome. A few of the common physical traits are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. However, each person with Down Syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.
Laini, who turned 18 in August, is certainly a unique individual, but one that has had an incredible impact on her fellow students. Like this year's Homecoming theme, "Rock of Ages," Laini certainly rocks her extra chromosome.
"School spirit revolves around Laini," says her teacher, Channa Cockburn. "She has brought her whole class together. When Laini's around, they all work toward the same purpose. They all love her."
Loving her is easy, says Laini's mom, Becky Williams. Becky was 30 when Laini was born, younger by a decade than the average parent of a DS baby. Although the prenatal testing for genetic abnormalities existed, Becky and her late husband, Mark, chose not to have it done.
"The year before we had Laini, we had a child stillborn with spina bifada and anencephaly. We just wanted a healthy baby to take care of. You don't have a baby to be the most perfect or the prettiest or smartest, you just want a part of you to care for and love."
Becky and Mark began their journey at Barnes & Noble, buying a book to give them information about the challenges they would face. But Becky said those challenges "have been easy."
"This title of Down Syndrome means nothing," she said. "You give them what they need, not really anything different than other kids."
Becky and Mark began giving Laini what she needed, including beginning early interventions of physical, occupational, and speech therapy when she was just three months old. The therapists met Laini at the babysitter's, since both parents continued to work full time.
"It's really no big deal," says Becky, "it's been really easy."
As she has done with her presence at JCHS, Laini has had an impact on her family. "She has brought our family closer together," says Becky. "We are more sensitive to others, more compassionate to what others are going through."
It's not all serious with Laini. She loves to make people smile and especially likes "fooling them." Her homecoming joke on her teachers was to convince them she was wearing a red dress, and then appearing at the coronation in her signature favorite color, pink.
Her sense of humor came out in the emergency room on September 12. Just a few days after being voted onto the Homecoming Court for the fourth consecutive year, Laini was in a car wreck with her mom. After some testing to make sure she was not injured, the nurse came in and told Laini "she would live." Laini responded, "That's good. Johnston City doesn't need a dead queen."
She used her new royalty status on her younger brother, Trent, the morning after being crowned. As they were getting in the car to go to school, Laini told Trent, "Hey boy, how about opening the door for the Queen!"
Laini said that being named Homecoming Queen was "cool," her byword for anything she likes. "I cried a little bit, " she said. She plans to wear her crown all weekend for the remainder of the festivities, including her favorite part, the game.
"We're going to win," she said with a huge smile.
Although Becky would love to keep Laini in high school forever, time does march on. Laini has ideas about her future. She wants to attend John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, like her older sister, Tiffani. She plans to be a cheer coach and party planner.
"I'm trying not to think about it," says Becky, "but if I can make it happen, I will.
Even though she is making an impact on those around her, Laini's message about herself is "cool."
"I'm just Laini."