My story is about my daughter Jessica. She is now 22 years old and has been taking dance classes for 19 years. We were asked to allow her to dance in competition. Originally we were unsure if we should allow Jessica to compete in dance competitions as her older sister did, but we decided it may be a great way to inspire others who have children with special needs, and to show that they can do anything any other child can do. We decided to let Jessica take part in a dance competition and this is one of our favorite memories of her competing. Jessica did a solo performance and as she was dancing, the audience was amazed. She remembered her entire dance, was on time with the music, and showed how much she loved to dance. When she finished dancing, I can truly say there was not a dry eye in the theater. She ended with a standing ovation and many cheers! Our daughter danced on stage, alone and did a great job! She not only won a gold trophy, she received a special award for “True Love of Dance.” When we went into the lobby to purchase her video, I can’t tell you how many people came up to Jessica to congratulate her, audience and dancers alike told her what a great dancer she was and still is. We had people coming up to us telling us she made their day, and how great it was to see her up there dancing. Since this time, Jessica has been in several other competitions and the reaction is always the same. The audience is amazed and moved by watching her dance. I love to watch Jessica dance at recitals and competitions but this has to be one of my very favorite memories.