Jillian Ball made school history as the first person with Down syndrome to receive the honor.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Broomfield High School seniors celebrated their graduation Monday night. Their commencement speaker, a fellow graduate, moved the crowd to tears.
Jillian Ball made school history as the first person with Down syndrome to receive this honor, and captivated everyone with her heartfelt and emotional delivery.
In April, when Broomfield High School held tryouts for the commencement speech, Jillian didn’t hesitate to audition.
“I like to show the people how great I am,” she said.
While her confidence now is undeniable, her parents, Alexis and David Ball, recalled the uncertainty they felt when Jillian was born and diagnosed with Down syndrome.
“There was a lot of fear because we just didn’t know what her journey was going to be like,” Alexis said. “If we knew then what we know now, we would not have been as scared. Because …