Ireland Meyer of Winnebago will be featured as part of the NDSS Times Square Video Presentation on Sept. 12.

Genesis Classical Academy graduate and Winnebago resident Ireland Meyer is being celebrated in a big way.

Meyer, who is a person with Down syndrome, will be appearing in the annual National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Times Square Video Presentation on Saturday, Sept. 12. This one-hour video will be broadcast on the two Jumbotron screens within Times Square, featuring over 500 photographs of children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states and 12 countries. The presentation will also be livestreamed on the NDSS Facebook page from 8:30-9:30 AM EST on Sept. 12.

“I think I first came across this opportunity on one of the Down syndrome Facebook pages I follow,” Shanna Meyer, Ireland’s mother, explains. “It was sometime in April or May when I submitted her picture, because it was the photo I used for her graduation.”

Ireland’s photo was selected from over 2,700 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for photos. New faces are selected for this video every year, in order to highlight the diversity and beauty of the Down syndrome community across the United States and around the world.

Following the video presentation, NDSS will kick off the 2026 NYC Buddy Walk, which will also be livestreamed on Facebook. This flagship Buddy Walk has taken place in New York City since 1995 as part of the National Buddy Walk Program, which was created to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and to raise funds for local and national initiatives to support the Down syndrome community.

“What I love most about this project is that it gives people with Down syndrome the opportunity to simply be seen and celebrated,” Shanna remarks. “Ireland has faced more challenges in her 18 years than most people will face in a lifetime. She has been through countless surgeries and hospitalizations, and still has medical challenges, but through it all she continues to amaze us with her strength and resilience.”

NDSS, which was founded in 1979, seeks to empower individuals with Down syndrome and their families by driving policy change, providing resources, engaging with local communities, and shifting public perceptions by spreading awareness. They engage with grassroots advocates at the federal, state, and local levels, and create resources to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and caregivers across the lifespan on topics including education, employment, health and wellness, and aging.

“Having an extra chromosome is part of what makes Ireland who she is, and she is truly amazing,” Shanna shares. “She has touched so many lives in her 18 years, and I’m beyond proud to be her mom.”