It was a sea of red Monday morning at Mahoning Elementary School as students showed their support for twins Wyatt and Shane Waksmunski.

The twins, age 6, both have Down syndrome, the most common genetic chromosomal disorder and cause of learning disabilities in children.What made the day particularly special for the twins was that everyone at the school — including their parents — dressed in red to mark the 11th anniversary of World Down syndrome Day.Eric Waksmunski, the twins’ father, said the day is about inclusion, acceptance, and respect.“Everybody knows each other,” Waksmunski said. “They’re part of the gang.”Waksmunski said his sons are “fully integrated” in the kindergarten program.He said the program allows his sons to “grow and achieve to their fullest potential.”Waksmunski said he believes the rate at which his sons are learning is “fantastic.”“They are doing well, they love coming to school,” he said. “They know their letters and shapes; it’s exciting to see them fully involved in their schoolwork.”Waksmunski said it’s important that parents of children with Down syndrome do their part to ensure their success.“Don’t limit your children, and treat them like any other child,” he said. “And to not be afraid and take the risk because I think the reward is that great.”Vicky Kocher, a kindergarten instructor at Mahoning Elementary, said she welcomes having Wyatt and Shane in her classroom despite their disorder.“They’re part of our friendship and community in kindergarten,” Kocher said. “We enjoy having them; we feel that they are growing, and we have high expectations for them.”Kocher noted that she’s previously taught other LifeSkills students, and “I actually love having them.”That doesn’t mean their aren’t any challenges in teaching the children, Kocher said.“The biggest challenge is the fact that they are nonverbal, and we have to use the verbal cues,” she said.The Mayo Clinic defines Down syndrome as a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in extra genetic material from chromosome 21.This genetic disorder, which varies in severity, causes lifelong intellectual disability and developmental delays, and in some people it causes health problems.