Ten-year-old Matthew Goode from Peterborough is spreading a very important message Thursday for World Down Syndrome Day. Goode came up with a presentation to educate his classmates at R.F. Downey Public School on what it means to have Down syndrome.

“Last year one of my classmates tried to put me down by saying, ‘What, do you have Down syndrome or something?’ and I got angry because my sister has Down syndrome then I created a presentation to educate my classmates and I decided to do it again this year,” said Matthew Goode.

Goode says the message he wants to convey is that people with Down syndrome are more like everyone else than they are different.

“With Down syndrome, sometimes you’re learning slow, sometimes you have a little bit of a difficulty learning, but you’re still trying,” said Hannah Goode, Matthew’s sister.

What’s new this year is that Goode isn’t just speaking to his classroom, but to everyone in the school.

“I learned that people with Down syndrome can do the same things as other people do, and they just have to kind of learn a little bit longer then we do,” said student Arwyn Mortlock.

And Goode isn’t stopping there. He also organized a bake sale to raise money for the Down Syndrome Association of Peterborough.

“I’m proud of what he’s done and I hope it gives some other kids the courage to stand up for themselves and the people around them,” said Matthew’s mother, Shawna Goode.

More than $400 was raised, surpassing Goode’s original goal of $25.

“I hope people learn just what Down syndrome is and how to recognize Down syndrome,” he said.

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