Pennsylvania woman spokesperson for Down syndrome

From The Times-Tribune in Moscow, Pa.:

Sara Wolff (pictured) once told her grandmother she'd be famous.

Her grandmother encouraged her but still reminded Ms. Wolff of the pitfalls of fame.

One of those pitfalls could be a simple error, her grandmother would tell her. As the spokeswoman for National Down Syndrome Society, Ms. Wolff has experienced one of those errors.

The Moscow resident is featured in advertisements in Allure, Glamour, Vogue and other national magazines and has been the primary speaker at events from Scranton to Washington.

In the magazine, Ms. Wolff is photographed atop a brick wall holding a bullhorn and overlooking a city.

"When I told (the artist) that I was from Moscow, he had me pose on the wall overlooking my home city," said Ms. Wolff. However, the artist mistakenly thought Ms. Wolff meant Moscow, Russia, and the ads in the campaign, which were supposed to depict the Lackawanna County borough of Moscow, instead show Ms. Wolff overlooking the Russian capital.

"I told my grandmother that I wanted to be famous and she would always tell me that I would be," she said. "The picture in the ad, even though they made an error, still helps me to be famous."

Against many odds, Ms. Wolff has become well-known not only in Moscow, but a number of other places.

The 27-year-old was born with Down syndrome, the most commonly occurring genetic mutation, affecting one in every 733 live births. Approximately 5,000 childen are born with Down syndrome each year in the United States, according to the National Down Syndrome Society. Today, more than 400,000 in the United States have Down syndrome.

"The biggest fight that I and others with Down syndrome have, has been for inclusion," Ms. Wolff said.

Ms. Wolff's mother, Connie Wolff, said she just wanted to give her daughter a shot at a normal life.

"Psychologists told us to forget about inclusion in regular schools, that she wasn't intelligent enough," Connie Wolff said. "We fought hard for inclusion and Sara has done great. She's proved them wrong."

Sara Wolff has become one of the primary activists for national awareness.

She was one of just two people chosen for NDSS's "My Great Story" campaign ad and is featured in advertisements as "The Public Speaker."

Ms. Wolff has spoken at local high schools, the University of Scranton, the FBI offices in Philadelphia, New York City's "Inclusion Week," and, last month, she was asked to speak in Washington, D.C.

She received Moscow's Citizen of the Year award during the borough's first "Night Out" in 2004.

"My objective is to be an advocate for individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities," Ms. Wolff said. "I don't think of myself as having Down syndrome but, instead, up syndrome because I am an upbeat and positive person. My grandmother meant so much to me as does my mother and they really have helped me to be the person that I am. They have helped me to keep going and they are the reason I do keep going. They are my life."

Ms. Wolff said her biggest accomplishment to date has been organizing an annual Buddy Walk.

She first organized the event, which helps raise awareness to the condition, as a senior project at North Pocono High School. The event was such a success, Ms. Wolff was honored at a NDSS spring luncheon attended by ABC television personality Barbara Walters.

"It was a life-changing experience. It was the first time that I spoke in public," Ms. Wolff said.

She has since gone on to meet former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as other news and television personalities. While Ms. Wolff said she had great conversations with all of the famous people she's met, there was one who left her speechless.

"The Rock. Oh, my God," she said, noting that the actor and former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar is one of her favorite celebrities. "He's incredible," Ms. Wolff said.

While doing much in the way of advocacy, Ms. Wolff, who has earned a number of college credits and plays musical instruments and loves Penn State sports, has worked nearly a decade as a law clerk at O'Malley and Langan, P.C. in Scranton.

She sits on the board of directors of the Arc of Northeast Pennsylvania and is a member of the Arc's state board.

Sought-after speaker

Anywhere Ms. Wolff travels, she is often asked to speak, she said.

"Public speaking was something I wanted to do. My speaking experiences have ranged from small groups such as churches, schools and community organizations to large events like the NDSS St. Louis Conference and other Buddy Walks," Ms. Wolff said. "Regardless of the size of the audience, I feel good knowing I can inspire people and make a difference."

Contact the writer: sbrown@timesshamrock.com

TO NOMINATE A NORTHEAST WOMAN, please submit requests via e-mail to lifestyles @timesshamrock.com or mail them to Northeast Woman Nominations, The Sunday Times, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Please include the woman's name, address and the reason the reader feels the woman is deserving. Those submitting need to include their name and a daytime phone number.Meet Sara Wolff

At home: Lives in Moscow with her parents, Dennis and Connie Wolff. Ms. Wolff has two brothers: Jeff, who is married and has five children; Randy, who is married with two children; and a sister, Jennifer Motichka, who was recently married.

At work: A spokeswoman for the National Down Syndrome Society and a law clerk at O'Malley and Langan P.C.

Inspiration: Her family.

Aspiration: To continue public speaking and raising awareness of disabilities affecting all people.

Diversions: Listening to music and playing in two bowling leagues.

Aversion: "The 'R' word (retarded). It's just not nice. Not fair."

Quote: "It feels so good to know that I have made a difference in other people's lives."