Madison Essig is the first woman with Down Syndrome to graduate from her high school

Now a student at George Mason University, Madison Essig graduated from high school in 2016 with a full diploma and 3.7 GPA. According to records from DC public schools, she is the first student with Down Syndrome to do so.

Her mother, Kimberly Templeton, says her philosophy in raising her daughter has always been the same. Although they were told that there was no guarantee Madison would ever read or write” Templeton says her attitude was, “Until she proves she can’t do it, let’s not stop her now.”

Essig hopes to complete her four-year diploma with the goal of becoming a professional advocate for people with disabilities. You can find out more about her story in the video above.

Read more:
9 People with Down syndrome who are changing the world