Texas Border Business
PHARR, Texas – Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) student Madison Rose Orozco, was featured in Time Square on Saturday, September 9, 2023, as part of the annual National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Time Square Video Presentation.
Orozco is currently an 8th-grade student at LBJ Middle School in Pharr where she is actively involved in the dance team, the LBJ Steppers for the last three years. She also enjoys being involved in the Rio Grande Valley Down Syndrome Association (RGVDSA) and the Capable Kids Foundation where she is on the cheerleading team.
The one-hour video presentation of roughly 500 photographs includes children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states. These collective images promote the value, acceptance, and inclusion of people with Down syndrome in a very visible way.
The photo of Madison was selected from more than 2,400 entries in the NDSS worldwide callout, her picture was shown on two Jumbotron screens in the heart of Times Square. The presentation was live-streamed on the NDSS Facebook Page.
“It is an honor to have my daughter selected for this recognition out of thousands of participants nationwide,” said Madison’s mother Rosemary Ramirez. “In addition, I would like to thank PSJA for the amazing teachers, special education staff, and administration that have helped her along the way. Special thank you to her dance director Victoria Castaneda, she has never limited Madison or treated her any differently these past three years as a LBJ Stepper.”
Founded in 1979, the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) empowers individuals with Down syndrome and their families by driving policy change, providing resources, engaging with local communities, and shifting public perceptions. NDSS engages grassroots advocates at the federal, state, and local levels and creates resources to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and caregivers across the lifespan on topics including education, employment, health and wellness, and aging.
The Times Square Video presentation kicks off the New York City Buddy Walk at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park. The flagship Buddy Walk has taken place in New York City since 1995 as part of the National Buddy Walk Program.
