Boy With Down Syndrome Wins School's Kindness Award, Can't Hide His Excitement On Stage

Jun 03, 2019 by apost team

Childhood is one of the most important times in a person’s life. As we grow in knowledge and skill, we also learn how to act around people. While kids are sometimes taught that being overly aggressive is the only way to make their mark in the world, it is important to remember the Golden Rule and treat others with kindness and respect.

A middle school in Georgia recently gave out a special award to honor one of its kindest students and his example has sparked a great deal of interest on social media.

Mill Creek Middle School in Woodstock, Georgia finished the school year last week and bade goodbye to its eighth-grade graduates. During the commencement ceremony, graduates were given numerous awards, most of which were for academic performance in the classroom.

Teachers at Mill Creek also decided to bestow a new type of award on one of their graduates: the Excellence in Kindness Award.

15-year-old Christopher Yancy was chosen to be the recipient of the honor. Christopher, who was born with Down syndrome, gratefully accepted the award, running to the stage as he high fived his classmates. Jumping and high fiving his teachers, Christopher got a standing ovation from the entire crowd as he danced in joy of his achievement. 

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A video of Christopher accepting the award has gone viral.

In one of the numerous interviews Christopher’s mother, Brenda Page, has conducted since her son’s graduation day, the proud mom said that her son being honored for kindness was the important thing for her. Elaborating, Brenda says that she values kindness over a high GPA or perfect attendance. Brenda also remarked on Christopher’s optimistic outlook on life.

Calling her child a “social butterfly,” in an interview with WSB-TV, Brenda reveals that he wakes up every day with a smile on his face. Likewise, the kids at Mill Creek Middle School have continually embraced Christopher as one of their own, showing him the same compassion he feels for them.

Christopher, who was enrolled in special needs classes at Middle Creek, is looking forward to moving on to high school next year. Brenda says that Christopher can’t stop talking about the future, being very excited to have graduated from middle school.

Watch him receive the award in the video below:

What do you think of Mill Creek Middle School giving Christopher Yancy the Excellence in Kindness Award? Do you think more schools should reward students for good conduct and being respectful to their peers? Let us know your opinion and spread joy by showing this video to your friends and family!