O-A casts nearly unanimous vote for Prom Queen with Down syndrome

Posted by Billie Owens on June 10, 2010 - 11:13am
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Colleen Fisher just may be the most popular Prom Queen ever selected at Oakfield-Alabama High School.

In a landslide of ballot votes, the 18-year-old garnered all but about two votes to be crowned at the junior/senior prom held at Stafford Country Club.

She is a graduating senior, very well liked, who happens to have Down syndrome.

“She is a wonderful young girl,” said High School Principle Lynn Muscarella.

oaprom02.jpgColleen’s teacher says Colleen’s thrilled with the honor.

“She’s on Cloud 9,” teacher Adrienne Fuore told Muscarella. “Being named Prom Queen has made her whole year.”

And it has been a busy one. She studies basic life skills for a half-day, then takes vocational classes --called the West Program – at Boces.

In addition, she’s been active in Drama Club and this year she started learning how to play clarinet.

For the spring musical presention, the musicians all learned a song that Colleen could perform on her clarinet. It was the traditional standard “Hot Cross Buns.” She also played the final song with the group and the audience was delighted.

“I’ve never seen or heard of anyone with Down syndrome being named Prom Queen,” Muscarella said. “I am just so proud of my kids here. It tells you a lot about them.”

Colleen's mother, Dawn Fisher, said the event was the highlight of her daughter's senior year.

"She was excited about the prom in general, about life, and when she won she yelled 'I won!'" Dawn said. "It is awesome that the kids chose her. They recognized her. It was very selfless of them."

Prom royalty pictured on top, from left: Princess Randi Zakes, Prince Nathan Klos, Queen Colleen Fisher and King Kevin Beuler.

Inset above, the royal couple, King Kevin and Queen Colleen.

Posted by Laura Russell Ricci on June 10, 2010 - 11:39am
These are the reasons I love this area!! Congrats on them for setting a good example!
Posted by jason pask on June 10, 2010 - 11:42am
This just goes to show that a child with a disability can do or be anything they want to be. Im so proud that the student's and staff at o-a could see that this young lady is really no different than the rest of us. I have a child with Down's who is the smartest and happyest little girl i have ever met we need more people like the student's and staff at o-a in our world thankyou Oakfield for hopefully showing the rest of the world that its time to stop putting people with disability in special schools or classes they do have feelings like us and are still human if any one dissagres with me id be glad to prove you wrong
Posted by Jamie Lindsley on June 10, 2010 - 12:13pm
Way to go Colleen and Oakfield-Alabama. You are all wonderful credits to our community and nation! Bravo.
Posted by Lori Silvernail on June 10, 2010 - 12:24pm
I participated in the pit orchestra in the string section for a couple of years and saw how these kids all helped Colleen as she took part in the school plays (O-A doesn't have a string program, so they let us old folks play along) :-)

I'm not sure these young people will ever truly know what they have done for Colleen's self-esteem and how it will impact her life. These kids and their parents should all be very proud of themselves.

Congratulations to the King and Queen and their court!
Posted by Michelle Wheatley on June 10, 2010 - 12:36pm
Way to go Colleen...I am amazed how OA School is so supportive of Individuals that may have a disability--it speaks volumes for their school!!
Posted by Lisa Falkowski on June 10, 2010 - 12:42pm
I know this family. Colleen is an excellent choice. Her classmates should be commended for recognizing Colleen for the young woman she is and for accepting her in the mainstream of school activities. Congrats to Colleen and to Oakfield Classes 2010 and 2011. You should all be very proud of yourselves and your accomplishments!
Posted by Autumn Connolly on June 10, 2010 - 2:34pm
That was a real sweet thing they did for her.
Posted by Debbie Paine on June 10, 2010 - 2:43pm
What a sweet, refreshing story. This one is truly worthy of being picked up by bigger news outlets. O-A must be an amazing school with an amazing student body and faculty.
Posted by George Richardson on June 10, 2010 - 4:12pm
The person who got the other two votes is bummed, who cares? Not me, good choice Oakfielders. My town for almost two years, hitchhiking to Batavia and GCC was easy back then.
Posted by Mike Kelly on June 10, 2010 - 7:06pm
“I’ve never seen or heard of anyone with Down syndrome being named Prom Queen,” Muscarella said.

Just goes to show you that kids do watch commercials on TV.
Posted by Billie Owens on June 10, 2010 - 7:13pm
Can you please explain your comment, Mike. I'm almost 52 and don't get it. Help me out here.
Posted by Mike Kelly on June 10, 2010 - 7:19pm
Billie; The commercial on TV showing a senior class selecting a downs syndrome afflicted girl as their prom queen. You know, one of the new liberal commercials being shown constantly extolling us all to get along.
Posted by Billie Owens on June 10, 2010 - 7:41pm
It's probably a wildly popular and familiar commercial to most people. Thanks for the info.

Doesn't sound like a liberal or conservation position, just a good all around idea -- the planet ain't gettin' any bigger, there's lots 'o' kinds 'o' folks. So, yea, let's try to get along. I haven't had satellite TV in more than a year. No TV at all in fact.

That all changes on Friday, tomorrow, when I get a new dish!
Posted by Jeremiah Pedro on June 10, 2010 - 9:49pm
This is an awesome story. It should renew the faith of the older generations in this up and coming generation.


And George I don't recall the article or anyone else for the at matter saying the person or persons who got the other two votes being bummed.
Posted by Janice Stenman on June 10, 2010 - 11:04pm
This is a beautiful story, made possible by the kids from Oakfield. Your parents raised a bunch of great kids.
Posted by Frank Collins on June 11, 2010 - 5:26pm
Classy move by the kids at O-A. That's a moment that will stay with Colleen the rest of her life. Life isn't always easy or fair to people in her situation, but at least she's seen the compassion people are capable of and from her own peer group, which is refreshing at that age.
Posted by Howard Owens on June 11, 2010 - 5:35pm
People like to run down younger generations, but I keep wondering if the kids I went to high school with 30 some years ago would do the same thing. I just kind of doubt it.

Class acts, for sure.