News

Local Self-Advocate, Carrie Bergeron, to Give Presentation at 2011 Event

Carrie is a thirty-four year-old young adult with Down syndrome from upstate New York. She radiates joy and warmth when you meet her.  Carrie is presently in a NYS Self-Determination transition plan, living in Rome, NY. Her staff assists Carrie with daily routines that include life skills organization, presentation preparation, and various appointments (medical, dental, etc.) and schedules including physical fitness, voluntary community work and other activities. Her life accomplishments have been featured in “The Wall Street Journal”, ABC’s “The View”, ABC’s “20/20”, “Time Magazine”, “Women’s World”, and the “Oprah Winfrey Show”.

Carrie graduated from her local high school with an IEP diploma when she was twenty–one years old.  A post-graduate year was spent at Herkimer County BOCES where she received a certificate in Early Childhood Education.  She then went on to receive a one-year degree (obtained in four and a half years) from Herkimer County Community College as a teacher’s assistant in 2003.

She has been volunteering at the Upstate Cerebral Palsy Center for almost five years, helping with the toddler programs two days a week. She also volunteers at the local hospital, assisting with a Tai Chi program on the geriatric floor there once a week. The instructor has informed Carrie that she would like her to take over the class when she retires in the near future. She also participates in the “Adopt-A-Shelf” program at the local library.

Physical fitness is maintained by daily workouts at the local YMCA plus two weekly classes in Tae Kwon Do. Her interests are: sign language, reading, karate (maintaining black belt status), music, and dancing.

She is a former board member of the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) and currently serves on the Self Advocates Committee. Carrie is a member of the local Speaker’s Bureau where she gives motivational and inspirational presentations locally and in the neighboring communities. Routines including Karate skills, sign language and dance are included. She shares her story at elementary and high schools, at colleges and at various Down syndrome conferences throughout the states.  She was honored in 2008 with an Accent on Excellence award in Utica, NY as one of ten recipients out of seventy-five applicants. The award focuses on recognizing the efforts of outstanding young leaders in the Mohawk Valley where Carrie lives.

Carrie received the 2007 “Voices” award from the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) in New York City. She also was the recipient of the Christian Pueschel Memorial Citizenship Award in 2005 at the annual National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) convention. Both awards celebrate the distinguished achievements of young people. Carrie truly believes that ALL children with Down syndrome and other special needs should be given every opportunity to meet their potential and have success and happiness and loves to spread this awareness. 

Carrie will be giving a short presentation at 2:30pm.  You won’t want to miss it!