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Nueces County Junior Livestock All Star Show gives children with special needs a time to shine

The event gave kids the opportunity to show an animal in front of a live crowd and take part in the fun.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Youths from 1st to 12th grade with special needs were invited to participate in the 3rd annual Nueces County Junior Livestock All Star Show.

The event provides kids with goats and lambs to show before a cheering crowd, giving them a chance to take part in the fun.

Julia Gillian, founder of the All Star Show, says she rarely saw students with special needs joining in the 4H program. While still in middle school, Gillian set up a tour to help introduce these kids to the animals.

The rest is history in the making; the very next year she founded the All Star Show when she was just a freshman at Flour Bluff Highschool.

Now a senior, when Gillian graduates she'll be passing on the program to her classmate, Hunter Fox.

"I'd have something to do, but I couldn't really do it," Fox said about his stature. "And it kinda made me think, these kids, they go through that every day... Times ten. Times a hundred."

This year hosted 45 exhibitors who got a chance to enjoy the full livestock show experience. From showing goats and lambs to receiving a blue ribbon, even getting to take photos with the Queens.

Best of all, the All Star Show has inspired many of these students to join the organization long term. Gillian describes one young woman who took part in the All Star Show, and will be helping to organize it next year.

Gillian may be graduating, but Fox and all the other volunteers will make sure that this stays an opportunity, and a staple of the NCJLS for years to come.

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