Recently, 20-year-old Rachel Grace received a letter in the mail notifying her that she had been accepted to college. For Rachel, her acceptance into college was a very big deal. Rachel has Down Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that causes developmental and motor delays. The letter informed Rachel that she had been accepted into The Career Independent Living and Learning Studies program at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. The program gives students who have intellectual disabilities an opportunity to earn a certificate. Many children and adults who have Down Syndrome and other intellectual disabilities do not have the opportunity to continue their education beyond high school. This is largely due to the fact that these types of certificate programs are not widely available at this time.
Rachel’s parents recorded her heartwarming reaction to the exciting news of her acceptance. Their plan was to send this video with family members and friends so that they too could share in Rachel’s happiness. News of the video spread, and it has now been viewed more than 15 million times! Rachel and her family are shocked by the number of views the video has received and by all the positive comments the video has gotten from strangers around the world.
Check out the video below. Rachel’s excitement and enthusiasm will certainly make you smile! Way to go, Rachel!