Grace adds another string to her bow with award-winning chocolates
Seventeen-year-old Grace Hannon has already acquired quite the impressive résumé – in sport, in school and in life.
She ran to gold and silver medals representing Connacht at the 2015 Special Olympics; she was recently nominated for Gaisce/The President’s Award – and her home-made chocolates have landed her a Galway Enterprise Award.
Grace’s story helps to challenge old conventions and redefine what it means to be a person with Down Syndrome in modern society.
A genetic condition, Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder affecting one in every 546 births in Ireland – or around 7,000 people.
The youngest of four, Grace lives with her parents Pat and Rose, dogs Miley and Max and Dizzy the cat. Her elder siblings – sister Jessica (21) and brothers James (23) and Michael (25) – have since left the nest.
Sociable and outgoing, Grace is a Transition Year student with Coláiste Mhuire, Ballygar where she thoroughly enjoys going to school and availing of the curriculum. Her favourite subjects include Art and Home Economics.
“Grace is the type of person who can put a smile on your face and make you laugh before 9.30am in the morning – and anyone who can do that is worth being around,” says Ita Keane, Special Needs Assistant with Coláiste Mhuire who works closely with Grace on a daily basis.
As part of the schools TY program all students were asked to complete an enterprise project, working in groups, pairs of singularly.
For her part, Grace took undertook an independent project; by creating her own acclaimed chocolaterie – ‘Grace’s Gorgeous Chocolates’.
The irony is that Grace doesn’t even like chocolate! Both Ita and her father Pat admitted that she doesn’t eat chocolate, sweets or biscuits; however they agree she loves cooking and baking, creating things with her hands and making others happy
The ambitious student researched and sourced high quality chocolate beans and moulds for her bespoke chocolates.
She got to grips with the science of chocolate-making ensuring the temperature and consistency was just right.
Grace demonstrated her creative aptitude and dedication by applying herself to every aspect of the project – from idea creation to design and production through to finished product.
Labels and packaging were sponsored by Casey’s Topaz, Roscommon.
The ‘Grace’s Gorgeous Chocolates’ product line; boasted a delightful range of scrumptious creations to suit every taste. Her tailor-made confections were sold as Mother’s Day Gifts - and again as Easter Gifts, to fellow students and teachers.
The kind natured teenager decided – of her own accord - to donate all proceeds to Down Syndrome Ireland. And for that she was presented with a special award in recognition of her efforts and achievement, at the Galway Enterprise Awards held in the Ardilaun Hotel.
Ita, who assisted Grace throughout the project is both delighted and fiercely proud of her student, who she characterizes as “hugely generous and caring” with a “willingness to help”.
Ita reiterates the importance of successful integration and inclusion in mainstream education.
“When Grace first arrived she had no communication skills and no sense of time,” she remembers.
She still has difficulties in communication but Ita insists these skills have ‘vastly improved’.
Getting to this point has been a huge challenge for Grace – but also for all of her family, who have had to fight tooth and nail for essential services like speech and language therapy.
Grace’s communication skills are lacking – with regards her ability to express – but her father Pat says they have ‘barely had any’ speech and language therapy available to them.
“That’s what we’re up against,” he says, echoing the frustrations off all parents of children with disabilities across the country.
The proud father says that his ‘main concern’ is education. At seventeen years old, he’s looking to the future for his daughter – what access is there to further education, what courses are available to her?
He hopes she can complete a FETAC and enjoy some form of independence.
“It wouldn’t be good for her to stay in the house, she needs something to work towards and have a sense of achievement,” he adds.
And despite all of the struggles, her proud father wouldn’t change a thing.
“When parents have a child with Down Syndrome, it appears to be a terrible blow. But it is the best thing that ever happened to us. Grace is an absolute joy to have around. She sees all the good there is in the world – she makes everyone around her happy. We’re blessed to have her.”