by Samantha Libraty

Senior Brendan Durkin, special education teacher Nichole Franchi and alums Ben Majewski ’09 and Brian Heffernan ’09 attended the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) Conference Saturday, March 17 in Worcester.

The conference was held at the Digital Federal Credit Union Center, a convention center, according to MDSC’s website. MDSC is an organization that “is on the cutting edge of Down syndrome advocacy at a time when an innovative, forward-thinking vision is needed,” its website states. MDSC works within the Down syndrome community as well as other communities supporting families, students and siblings.

At the annual conference, teachers, families and kids with Down syndrome gather and take classes throughout the day, Durkin said.

“My choices were classes about jobs, money, healthy eating and our different types of Down syndrome,” he added. At these classes, students discussed how to get jobs and save money.

“We also talked about the Special Olympics, which I will play in, but my favorite part of the whole day was the talent show,” Durkin said.

Students could sign up to sing, dance or show off a special talent, according to him.

“The talent show and the conference were really fun,” Durkin concluded.