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Kitchen Tune Up
After first taking an interest in photography at age eight, Andy has honed his skills behind the lens and now features his work online at AndyMeredith.com.
An independent Andy took the initiative to apply for a job at Publix without telling his mom and dad and wore a Batman mask for courage on the bike ride to the store. Luptati idist eum ipid minimagnia inulluptis molores rae adia plitate pre, experibus del in .
This unique perspective of the Tybee Island Pier has become one of Andy’s most collected photos.Photo Credit: Andy Meredith Photography
Many of Andy’s photographs are taken during his travels, and he specializes in landscape and architectural photography. Here he lines up his shot at the University of North Carolina’s Wilmington campus.
Talking about Andy brings a big smile to Coach Mason’s face. He laughs as he recalls, “We were having an intense practice before a big game, and we were all feeling the pressure. In the middle of practice, I heard a voice behind me. I turned, and it was Andy playing a prank in a Batman costume, yelling ‘I am Batman. I am vengeance.’” Andy sure knows how to break the tension. In addition to playing, coaching, and other activities, Andy has worked at Publix since he was seventeen. Stephanie says the whole thing was his idea when one evening Andy was missing when she called him for dinner. He had ridden his bike across a busy street to the grocery store and applied to be a front service clerk. Andy laughs and says, “That seems like a long, long time ago.” He emphasizes he was just a kid then and even explains, “I wore my Batman mask for courage just for the bike ride to Publix.” When his mother tries to tell her version of the story, Andy rolls his eyes and says, “My mom has her thoughts.” This year is a big one for Andy. He is officially a college student, made possible by the Shiloh Cook Scholarship Award from Ruby’s Rainbow, a nonprofit organization that supports adult students with Down syndrome in pursuit of higher education. The scholarship has been applied to Andy’s tuition at Reinhardt University, where Stephanie says the staff impressed the family with their support and encouragement. Dean of
uuu Education Dr. Tami Little Smith came to meet Andy and presented him with his scholarship alongside the Cook family. At Reinhardt Andy’s studies will focus on developing his photography skills, including classes on digital editing and photo development. These skills will help Andy advance his photography career and further his independence. Andy’s interest in photography began when he was eight years old. It quickly became clear that Andy had a gift for capturing his unique worldview. Andy and dad Justin, a graphic designer and web developer, began traveling across the United States to capture various landscapes and architecture. Andy has honed his skills so well that he now has a website to sell prints of his photos. Establishing Andy’s photography business is part of the greater plan for Andy to develop independence. No matter the role Andy is in—son, brother, coach, student, teammate, photographer, or friend—Andy’s influence on those around him is apparent. While education and awareness have brought positive change to the Down syndrome community, much more work needs to be done.
