Students volunteer at Down syndrome conference

Aundeah Kearney ’10 hula hooped with her new friend, who proved to be more skilled at the game than either Kearney or Manuela Raunig ’10. Kearney and Raunig were both volunteers at the second annual Princeton Down Syndrome Conference, titled “Breaking Down Barriers” and hosted by Princeton Disability Awareness (PDA) and the Class of 2010. Raunig is also on PDA’s executive board.

Nearby, Sar Medoff ’10 played catch. “I’m having a great time,” he said. “I wish they had this every Sunday.”

Jenni Newbury ’10, whose younger brother has Down syndrome, founded the conference last year with help from Connor Diemand-Yauman ’10, Class of 2010 president. Newbury is also a co-founder and director of Camp PALS (Peers Assisting Learning Support), a camp in Pennsylvania for teenagers with Down syndrome.

Newbury said she and Diemand-Yauman “built the [conference] from the ground up … from nothing.”

Diemand-Yauman said that 500 people from outside the University community, including 220 Down-syndrome-affected children, attended the event along with 400 University students.

Newbury noted that the University has been “supportive” and that she and Diemand-Yauman have had a lot of “support from student groups and especially sports teams.”

She added that Diemand-Yauman also drummed up enthusiasm in the junior class.

Diemand-Yauman said that, his advertising efforts aside, he was “impressed by the response of the student body,” adding that the conference may be the largest student-run event on campus.

“Students, administrators, groups and leaders from all corners of campus have come together and contributed in some way to put this conference together,” he said.

In addition to helping organize the conference, student volunteers learned about Down syndrome firsthand through the children.

“[The conference] is a creative, unique opportunity,” said Cathy Vu ’11, one of the two publicity coordinators for PDA. She added that “[the event] promotes awareness.”

Newbury contacted the speakers who attended the conference through various national Down syndrome foundations as well as through connections she made while advocating Down syndrome awareness.

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“From the perspective of the families,” Newbury said, “They are in awe … overwhelmed by support from volunteers and the University.”

After listening to the speakers, the parents looked through exhibitions by various companies and organizations geared toward individuals with Down syndrome.

Parents in attendance said that the conference was helpful as well as enjoyable for their children.

“[The conference] shows how passionate Princeton University students are about humanitarian efforts and community service,” Diemand-Yauman said. “We are proud that we can say to parents, ‘Yes, Princeton students really do care that much.’ ”

Students also said that the conference was an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

“It’s just been a lot of fun,” Charlotte Glennie ’09 said, as she quickly walked after the little girl she was paired with.

“I wish I did it last year, and I wish I could be here next year to do it again,” she said.