“I want people to focus on what I can do. Not what they think I can’t,” says Seana Burris, a recent high school graduate from Cypress Ranch High School. Throughout Burris’s life, having Down syndrome has impacted how others perceive her ability to accomplish things compared to her peers. “I know what I’m capable of. I believe I can do anything I set my mind to. It might take me longer sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get there.”
At eight years old, Burris began making waves with Special Olympics and later joined the summer swim team with her friends, where her love for swimming flourished. When the time came to try out for the Cy-Ranch swim team, Burris had already spent years training to qualify. In sixth grade, her mother, Shannon Burris, reached out to the coach and gathered information on the team’s expectations. Using this knowledge, in the 2022 swim tryouts during Seana’s freshman year, she landed a spot on the team thanks to her dedication. Burris made history as she became the first student-athlete with Down syndrome to make the Cy-Ranch swim team. “I was really proud of myself. I knew it meant something bigger than just me,” says Burris.
After joining the team, she began to train year-round. When balancing her high school and Special Olympics swim meets proved challenging, Burris’s work ethic prevailed as she continued to show up for long early morning practices and never gave up. Her hard work paid off when she was selected in June of 2025 to represent Team Texas in swimming at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis. Burris went on to compete at the Games this past June.
Life Out of Water
Despite the success Burris has had with swimming, she notes that her biggest struggle in life has nothing to do with the sport at all. People often see her diagnosis instead of who she is as a person, especially throughout her time in school. “Once I had a diagnosis, people wanted to put me in a box. They decided what they thought I could do before I had the chance to show them.”
However, this never stopped Burris from being a positive, active member of the Cypress community. For more than ten years, Seana has volunteered with Sky High for Kids and currently serves on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Junior Rodeo Committee. During her time in high school, she also served as a member of the Rowdies, Cy-Ranch’s spirit team, where she helped people feel welcome and unified students through school pride.
Her love for giving back is what inspired her career goal of becoming a teacher who helps special needs students. “I want to inspire them. I want them to know they can chase their dreams too,” remarked Burris. She hopes to receive an education for this through the Aggie ACHIEVE program at Texas A&M University. "Seana has continually proven that determination and opportunity matter far more than limitations,” added her mother. “Her story is one of perseverance, inclusion, and the power of believing in possibilities.”