Celebrating Julia: 2025 Ruby’s Rainbow Ro Atchison Scholarship Recipient

We are excited to share that GiGi’s Playhouse New Orleans participant and volunteer, Julia DiRe, has been awarded the 2025 Ruby’s Rainbow Ro Atchison Scholarship!

“I am honored to receive the Ruby’s Rainbow Ro Atchison scholarship.  It really means a lot to me!  This makes me feel confident for you to believe in me and my dreams and goals.”     

Ruby’s Rainbow’s mission is to “support students rockin’ that extra chromosome in achieving their dreams of higher education and independence, while spreading awareness of their capabilities and general awesomeness!”.  

Sam Atchison, mom to 3-year-old Ro, traveled to New Orleans from Texas so that she could surprise Julia with her scholarship in person!

In a wonderful note to Julia, the Atchison family wrote:

“This award was given in honor of our daughter, Aurora (“Ro”), whose bright spirit and resilient heart remind us every day that anything is possible.  Like you, she is a trailblazer, and we created this scholarship to celebrate and support the dreams of people with Down Syndrome who are breaking barriers and living boldly.”

Julia was so happy to meet Ruby’s Rainbow co-founder and mom to Ruby, Liz Plachta, during last month’s National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) conference!

Julia recently started her 2nd year at St. Michael’s Exploration Academy where she will continue building her skills and pursuing her dreams!  
To learn more about Ruby’s Rainbow please visit their website: https://rubysrainbow.org/.