'She's going to go places': Northport fourth-grader featured in Times Square display

Not many people can say their picture has appeared on the Jumbotron in New York City's famed Times Square.

But after Saturday morning, 10-year-old Loren Kennedy Horner of Northport can start spreading the news that she's been featured on the Big Apple's big screens. A photo of Loren will be part of the National Down Syndrome Society's annual video presentation.

"I'm excited," said Loren, a fourth-grader at Walker Elementary, a few days before the video's debut.

Loren's photo, which features her competing at the Special Olympics Alabama Summer Games in May, was selected from more than 2,400 entries in the National Down Syndrome Society's worldwide call for photos.

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The one-hour video of roughly 500 photographs includes children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states. These collected images are designed to promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome everywhere.

Kennedy Ankrom, Loren's mother, said she has previously submitted photos for the National Down Syndrome Society's video presentation and she's thrilled that Loren's picture was finally selected.

"When you submit your picture for a couple of years and it finally gets selected, it's a really special moment," Ankrom said.

"The fact they selected her Special Olympics picture, I think was very special to me because its not just the fact she has Down syndrome, she's an athlete," she said.

Loren said she enjoys being involved in Special Olympics and competing.

After winning first place in her events at the rhythmic gymnastics regional competition last February, Loren was given the opportunity to compete at the state level. She competed in May at the Special Olympics Alabama Summer Games held at Troy University, where she won gold medals in her division for the hoop, ball and ribbon events.

Aimee Porter, Loren's coach, said she is very proud of Loren's success and overall growth.

"I have very high expectations for Loren. She has exceeded my expectations," Porter said.

"It's been so fun (teaching her). She's been a joy," she said.

Porter is also Loren's special education teacher at Walker Elementary.

"I'm just so thankful to have a small chapter in her journey ... She's going to go places," Porter said.

In addition to being an athlete, Loren said she enjoys spending time with her older brother, William, and going to Heritage House Coffee and Tea for scones.

Loren and her family are proud advocates for Special Olympics and the National Down Syndrome Society. They are also passionate about supporting childhood cancer research, since Loren is a childhood cancer survivor and has logged nine years in remission from acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

Ankrom said she hopes Loren's story will inspire other people to get involved in Special Olympics and become aware of the need for inclusiveness.

"It's fun to have her picture on the Jumbotron screen and it's awesome that she won gold medals, but to me, the bigger impact to the story is I hope people will read Loren's story and they will be inspired to get involved, that they will promote a more inclusive society," Ankrom said.

Ankrom said she and Loren planned to celebrate her Times Square debut Saturday with a viewing party.

The presentation will be livestreamed Saturday on the National Down Syndrome Society's Facebook page from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Central Time.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Times Square display to feature Northport fourth-grader