A Ray of Sunshine

The music starts as Annalee Santelli (those who know her call her Annie) steps onto the field to perform a routine that she has been perfecting for weeks. Her smile brights up the room better than any spotlight could do.
Whether she is cheering at football games or twirling through a dance routine, Annie brings a contagious energy that has the whole school rooting for her. When you are around Annie, it’s impossible not to smile. Her sense of optimism and joviality not only lights up any room that she is in, but brightens the community around her.
At Highland, Annie is more than just a Pep Club member and dancer; she brings a symbol of kindness, enthusiasm, and respect to the school community. Despite living with Down syndrome, Annie continues to improve her community and bring optimism to any situation.
“Annie lights up the room, she cheers her friends on, she corrects them,” Annie’s teacher Sammi Allen said. “She’s a class leader. She always has some sort of comeback. She adds quite a bit of joy to our class.”
Allen emphasizes Annie’s enthusiasm and humor while bringing her positive attitude to school every day.
Pep Club has been a long-standing club that participates in cheering at sporting events and many behind the scenes activities—including making banners and practicing daily to perform at events and games. Annie can be found in the classroom working on banners or in the stands cheering on Highland. Her commitment to Pep Club and the Pep Club activities creates an inviting atmosphere and raises morale in class.
The reason for her drive and devotion to Pep Club is simple: “I love it!” Annie said.
“She brings a very positive influence,” Pep Club Advisor Maggie Jarratt said. “She does an amazing job just helping out with our banners and having that school spirit.”
Alongside being an active member in Highland’s Pep Club, Annie also participates in extracurricular dance classes at Utah Dance Artists (UDA) in South Jordan, Utah. UDA is a dance studio providing classes for students of various levels. UDA is a provider of Darby’s Dancers’ classes. Darby’s Dancers is a nationwide non-profit organization that was created to provide free dance classes for special needs youth with many providers across the country.
Annie participates in weekly dance classes at UDA where another student helps her learn routines and moves as her “buddy.”
“It’s been great. We lived in Virginia earlier and she did it for four to five years there, too. So she loves to dance!” Colleen Santelli, Annie’s mom said.
Annie has also participated in the Special Olympics Utah summer games for the past two years. Special Olympics Utah is the same provider for the Unified Sports soccer game that Highland hosted in September, which Annie also participated in.
Special Olympics Utah is a registered Utah non-profit focused on creating an inclusive environment for children with disabilities to participate in year-round or seasonal sports. These sports include soccer, track and field, basketball, golf, dance, and more.
“That is huge, for so many of these kids to do that,” Santelli said.
Santelli explains the importance of programs like these while emphasizing the impact that it has had on Annie.
Outside of dancing and cheering in the stands, Annie is an active member of the Highland community and can often be found waving or smiling at her many friends throughout the school. Santelli demonstrates how much school means to Annie, explaining that she would go to school seven days a week if she could.
During a performance, when the music finally finishes and Annie steps off the field, smiling from ear to ear, she embodies passion, resilience, and kindness. She truly demonstrates the true strength that comes from embracing uniqueness. Through Annie’s participation in Pep Club, she is paving the way for a more inclusive environment moving forward at Highland.
In this world that can sometimes feel divided, the hope of unity and inclusivity that comes from stories like these can light the path towards unification. Her Pep Club teammate Soleil Merrell summed up Annie perfectly.
“Fun, outgoing, smart, creative,” Merrell said.
It’s no wonder Annie shines a light on everyone she meets.