Celebrating World Down Syndrome Day with mismatched socks

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - A Fox Hollow Elementary School kindergarten class is celebrating World Down Syndrome Day in a unique way.

Ms. Nichole Pincock's students wore mismatched socks in honor of their classmate Conner Summers. 

Conner has down syndrome.

His mother explains the significance of the socks.

"The mismatch. So chromosomes on a karyotype look like little tiny socks. And Connor has 47 chromosomes where the rest of us, the majority of us have 46. And so because they look like little tiny little socks, we were crazy socks, and it just sparks the conversation of why are you wearing crazy socks? And it brings that ability to talk about down syndrome and bring awareness to it," Kaitlyn Summers said.

Conner's teacher Ms. Pincock loves having Conner in her class.

"When I first started out, I was a little hesitant. I didn't know how I was going to meet his needs. But Connor has been so adaptable and so eager to try that it's it's been wonderful. It's been a wonderful opportunity for the other kids in my class to experience compassion and learn that it's okay that not everybody is the same," she said.

World Down Syndrome Day is typically observed March 21; however, Ms. Pincock's class will be on spring break next week, and Conner's family didn't want the class to miss out on this special day.