BIOGRAPHY: SHERI BRYNARD
Sheri Brynard (33 years old) of South Africa is the only person with Down syndrome (normal Trisomy 21) who is a qualified teacher with a tertiary teacher’s diploma (without any amendments been made to the course), in the world. She is also an international ambassador for all people with Down syndrome. She truly believes that all people have the ability to choose to make the best of their circumstances and she is the living example of that.
She is currently an assistant teacher in a Pre-primary school for learners with special needs and she gives motivational speeches all over the world. Sheri tries to change negative perceptions about people with Down syndrome and she is an activist to give all people with Down syndrome the same opportunities they would have had, if they were fully abled. Although she is intellectually disabled and she was brought up in the Afrikaans language, she was determined to learn to speak English to be able to reach more people with her story of hope. She grew up in ‘n middleclass home in a rather small city in South Africa at a time when there were little to no support in the form of therapy, available. Apart from the more than 400 public speeches she has presented in South Africa, she did the opening speech at the previous International Down syndrome Conference in 2012 and she did a key note at the opening day of the International Down syndrome conference again in 2015, in Chennai, India. The day before the conference in India, during the pre-conference, she also delivered a presentation at the Panchayat in India. She was asked to talk the role she plays as an ambassador to DSi (Down syndrome International) and person with Down syndrome in South Africa.
In March 2013 Sheri addressed an International Conference on International Down syndrome day held in the headquarters of the United Nations in New York and she spoke at the University of Canterbury in the UK in July 2013.
In January 2014 she has addressed the community in Guildford in the UK as well as Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire in the UK. In June 2014 Sheri was also invited to the Childs World Conference in Abarestwith in Wales (UK) and she gave the main Conference Banquet keynote presentation (at which all the delegates of nearly 170 countries, senior university staff and external guests was present).
In May 2014 Sheri did a key note speech at an ECD and Learner Inclusion Conference in Johannesburg, Emperors’ Palace and in July 2014 she did the main key note speech at the International African EDU Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. In August 2014 Sheri did a key note at the “Conference for Woman with Disabilities” organised by the The Deputy Minister for the Department of Social Development in South Africa, Hon. Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, who hosted the Conference in Durban, South Africa. She received standing ovations at all the above apearances.
Sheri has also had the privilege to address the delegates at the Oxford Education Symposium in December 2014. All the above and below mentioned is an honor that was bestowed for the first time, for a person with Down syndrome. After Oxford Sheri addressed the 4th International Conference on Pediatric Chronic Diseases, Disability and Human Development (ICCD), in January, 2015 in Jerusalem, Israel. She got a standing ovation and an invitation to repeat the speech at a next conference.
In March 2015 Sheri delivered a keynote speech at the international “Women In Academic Leadership” conference in Johannesburg, for which she also received a standing ovation and the delegates gave her a 5 (highest score) for her presentation. In July Sheri delivered a spotlight speech at the 2015 European Conference Series in Thistle Brighton, Brighton, UK.
In October Sheri delivered a key note speech at the First South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion, in South Africa and later in October she also delivered a paper at the 2015 SAERA Conference (one of the biggest education conferences in South Africa). She is the first person with an intellectual disability who has been given the opportunity to speak at all these conferences.
Sheri has also appeared on National television, when she addressed the State President and she has been invited as guest on many shows on television. She also had the opportunity to play in a TV production, Binnelanders, a few times.
SHERI HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS, AMONG WHICH:
· The Presidential award (the highest award) for people who have made a contribution to the lives of mentally handicapped people in South Africa. This is a national award presented at a gala event of the Hamlet Foundation in Johannesburg, and the first time ever that a person with a disability received it.
· Selected by Down Syndrome International to receive the World Down Syndrome Day Award in recognition of her incredible efforts to change the lives and perceptions of people with Down syndrome.
· Chosen out of more than 1 400 nominations as one of 15 Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year, in 2012 finalists. She went on to win this competition in her category, “Young Movers”, and became the first Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year in South Africa with a disability as well as the first winner ever to receive a standing ovation.
· Chosen to be honoured by Tribute, a KwaZulu-Natal-based organisation that pays tribute to people with disabilities in South Africa who make a difference in the lives of others.
· Sheri was nominated twice as Bloemfontein resident of the Year because of the work she is doing nationally and internationally to change perceptions of society about people with Intellectual disabilities.
· Sheri receives the following award from the Premier of the Free State: “Most outstanding youth. Best Achiever Award” on National and International level in the Free State.
· Sheri delivered a “public lecture” with Prof Philip Hallinger of the USA and Thailand in Johannesburg, on the Soweto campus van die University of Johannesburg.
· Sheri was awarded the Optentia Award at the First South African Symposium on Teacher Education for Inclusion. The Optentia award acknowledges the contributions of individuals and institutions that show virtuous behaviour in the Southern African context. Virtuous behaviour has three characteristics: Human impact; Moral goodness; Social betterment.
Sheri is proud that she was invited by the London University College, to be part of the LonDown project on Down syndrome, in London. Some scientists working on the project are famous for being part of the team that first sequenced chromosome 21 and is now doing cellular research using cells from people with DS to see what we can learn about differences in cellular function, which could point the way to new treatments for problems such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Shortened Biography: Sheri Brynard
· Sheri Brynard is the only person with Down syndrome who is a qualified teacher with a tertiary teacher’s diploma (without any amendments made to the curriculum to accommodate her as a special needs student).
· She is proud to be an international ambassador for all peoples with Down syndrome in the world.
· She is currently an assistant teacher at a pre-primary school.
· She is also a national and international motivational speaker, with over 400 public speeches in South Africa. Sheri has addressed international conferences in South Africa, New York, all over the U.K; Israel, and India.
· She has appeared on National television, when she addressed the State President and has been invited as guest on many shows on television. She also had the opportunity to play in a TV production a few times.
· She has been the recipient of numerous national and international awards for her contribution towards changing social perceptions about peoples with intellectual challenges:
Outstanding awards:
· The Presidential award (the highest award) for people who have made a contribution to the lives of mentally handicapped people in South Africa. It is the first time ever that a person with a disability received it.
· Selected by Down Syndrome International to receive the World Down Syndrome Day Award in recognition of her incredible efforts to change the lives and perceptions of people with Down syndrome.
· Chosen out of more than 1 400 nominations as one of 15 Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year, in 2012 finalists. She went on to win this competition in her category, “Young Movers”, and became the first Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year in South Africa with a disability as well as the first winner ever to receive a standing ovation.
After she spoke to a group of about 400 third year students, at the University of the Free State, the students gave her a standing ovation and congratulated her and expressed their gratitude for her message of hope. Then a totally blind student raised his hand. He told her that he was blind and that he has always been blind, but that after he heard her speak he could see for the first time. He said that his sight had nothing to do with his eyes, but that her words opened his mind so that he could see his own role in life, with clarity. He then walked up to her with help and thanked her with a hug. In a diverse class with students of many races and backgrounds, we were all closely connected at that moment. This kind of connection seldom happens and I will always remember the moment of complete acceptance by all present for all people. Sheri is proud to be who she is, a girl with Down syndrome.