At Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, one student’s smile has the power to bring people together. Junior Will Merrit, who was born with Down syndrome, is more than just a familiar face in the hallway. He’s a reminder of how joy, resilience, and friendship can ripple through a community.
As part of the annual Walk for Down Syndrome, he leads Team Will Power, a group of friends, teachers, and neighbors rallying not only for him, but also for the families whose lives are touched by Down Syndrome. For Will, the walk is about being surrounded by people who care and celebrate the progress he and his community have made together.
When Will was a baby, milestones came at his own pace. Walking didn’t happen until he was three years old. For his mother, Mrs. Tonya Merritt, who also serves as one of Dunbar’s assistant principals, those years taught her patience and perspective.
“Will taught me patience,” she said. “Every step was something we learned to celebrate.”
“He teaches people that you can always do things how you want, no matter the circumstances,” Luca Brajuha, one of Will’s friends on his swim team, said.
For Will, the excitement of the event comes from the people walking beside him.
“I’m excited to see people and brand new faces,” Will said. “I hope to see my teachers, my peers, and my friends.”
The Dunbar community has been there from the very beginning.
“The first people who came to see us at the hospital were Dunbar staff,” Mrs. Merritt recalled. “We didn’t know Will’s diagnosis before his birth, so the community learned alongside us. That first year, when Will was just a tiny baby, nearly 200 people walked on Team Will Power. It was overwhelming in the best way.”
DSACK (Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky) organizes the walk.
“I think when he was about three days old, they sent somebody to the house with some information for us and a book and a little gift basket of things and invited us to parent meetings,” Mrs. Merrit said.
“It was so wonderful to have a community and people who were going through the same experiences. We’ve learned a lot, we learned about resources and got connected with the things that we needed.”
The walk raises funds for programs that have shaped the lives of people with Down Syndrome.
“Will takes dance classes that are sponsored by the Down Center Association through Allegro Dance Project, and Allegro Dance Project is usually there with a little drum circle and has some things that people can do at the walk. Some of the physical therapy groups will come and have little games to play and obstacle courses.”
Mrs. Merritt said that Will’s story shows that milestones don’t have to follow anyone else’s timeline.
“Will learned to walk at his own pace, reaching this milestone at age three,” she said.
The lessons of perseverance, joy, and inclusion extend beyond Will to the school community. Students and staff walking beside him experience firsthand what it means to support and celebrate differences.
“The purpose of the Walk for Down Syndrome is fundraising money for people going through my team,” Will said. Those funds directly support programs that make a difference in his daily life, and the walk itself brings together the broader community in celebration, advocacy, and connection.
He said it’s a chance to see friends and classmates, to feel the energy of the community rallying behind him.
For his family, it’s a reflection of how far he’s come.
“Seeing that it takes all kinds of people in the world to make it an interesting place and that Will is a part of their community and they are a part of his community is a really important thing to walk out of high school with an understanding of,” Mrs. Merrit said.
During the walk on September 13, 2025, there were a bunch of activities such as face painting, music, a lemonade stand, and cars. Team Willpower, consisting of friends, family, and supporters, came together.
“It means the world that Will had me on his team,” Brajula said.
With all the efforts from many, the Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky raised $137,000 during the walk.
