"We all just love her so much": Anoka senior with rare genetic condition brings joy to her community
ANOKA, Minn. -- Senior year can be both exciting and a little bit scary, but an Anoka High School senior is doing her best to make life easier for everyone.
Iris Lee was born with a rare genetic condition called Williams Syndrome. But it hasn't stopped her from getting involved and being a positive influence.
"Just visiting with her and her smile and her positive attitude, she affects everybody," said Michael Farley, principal.
It's been like that since the first day Iris Lee set foot in Anoka schools. It's never been a question of can she? But more like, how many activities can one student possibly be in?
"She's always got her TikTok dances and her fun spirit she has at dance team. In the classroom, she's a great student and I love her," said Andria Baumann, special needs teacher.
So do her classmates and friends. Last week Iris scored a touchdown during the homecoming powderpuff game.
"It was really awesome. Everybody just cheered me on," said Iris.
But the dance team is her first love.
"When Iris walks into practice, half the time I give her a hug and run up to her and I think that's the same with the other girls because we all just love her so much," said Hailey Barrows, dance teammate.
Known as Coach Lee, Iris has also been front and center at dance team competitions.
"It's easy peasy. It's really fun. I think I have a lot of energy when I dance and stuff like that. I think I have a lot of energy," said Iris.
"People love to watch her. We get a lot of compliments on what a great job she does," said Megan Heidemann, dance team coach.
Her energy, enthusiasm, spirit and smile even helped her win an award at the "Just for Kicks" dance camp.
"At JFK, watching her dance was my favorite part of JFK," said Mandy Hess, dance teammate.
Iris and other students with special needs benefit from a program called Tornado Pals, in which Anoka students can pair up with kids with disabilities and hang out. But Iris's parents believe these friendships began long ago.
"It's very heartwarming. She has been very accepted," said Marisa Lee, Iris's mom. "It makes me cry when I think about it. Even watching it. It's just so touching that she is so involved in such a big way."
"They have welcomed her, loved her, that's meant the world to us," said Jeff Lee, Iris's dad. "My favorite part is watching the kids surround her and give her that group hug. You can just tell it's authentic, it's real. They love her. She brings joy to the school. She brings joy to our home."
You could even say that the school has learned a thing or two from Iris.
"It's one of those unique leaders who have in your building where it's like, when she graduates that's going to be a hole," said Farley.
The Tornado Pals program is named after Anoka's mascot, which is the Tornadoes. Iris is planning to attend Bethel University next year as part of a two-year program the school offers. She's also involved in choir and she works at a diner.
