‘Bright Lights, Big City’

Seneca Valley School District  |  Posted on

Sarah is pictured getting ready for the Miss 22Quties Special Needs Beauty Pageant last August in Cranberry Township.

Seneca Valley Senior Sarah Widenhofer appeared in the bright lights of Broadway on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The Cranberry Township teen was excited to be a part of the National Down Syndrome Society’s (NDSS) annual Times Square Video presentation that features photographs highlighting children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome – and reminding the world in a very big way about the contributions and milestones of people with Down syndrome. These collective images promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.

“This video was a terrific way to showcase some of the incredible individuals with Down syndrome living in our communities across the country,” says NDSS President & CEO Kandi Pickard. “It is something the community looks forward to every year.”

The photo of Sarah was selected as one of 500 photographs that appeared in the video, streamed on NDSS social media from the heart of Times Square.

Sarah is pictured getting ready for the Miss 22Quties Special Needs Beauty Pageant last August in Cranberry Township.

The Times Square video presentation kicked off Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. The video presentation was followed by the New York City Buddy Walk, which will take place virtually due to COVID-19. Buddy Walk events were held virtually in more than 150 cities across the country, as well as select international locations, this fall with over 325,000 people participating around the globe.

Seneca Valley Special Education Director Jerry Miller stated that “Sarah is a clear example of a student not letting her disability get in the way of her abilities.”