The Best Buddies club is an on-campus organization that allows students to be partnered with an ACCESS student. Buddies are given the opportunity to interact with them and learn to communicate in different ways.
Through collaboration, students and Buddies can learn new skills. Best Buddies Secretary Jesslyn Arias-Gomez enjoys her time working with the club.
“It’s good to be in an environment where people come together in unity like our ACCESS students and our non-ACCESS students,” Arias-Gomez said.
According to bestbuddies.org, Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization committed to ending the social, physical and economic isolation that 200 million individuals with IDD often experience.
“To get involved with the community, it’s really good. It’s good for yourself and for others, and you’re really making a difference everyday by being a part of their lives,” AriasGomez said.
The official Best Buddies website shows how this worldwide program is to support inclusion for students with disabilities and help them experience a good time, like everyone else. Best Buddies Sponsor Amy Comer promotes inclusion amongst Buddies and students.
“The primary purpose of this club is to promote inclusion of people with disabilities. Students can learn how to interact with people with disabilities to make them feel good, and have fun!” Comer said. “They can also learn how to include people with disabilities.”
This club offers a lot of different activities like the hayride and the Halloween party that just passed for the ACCESS students and their buddies to experience a good time this school year.
“We have our annual Variety Show and Silent auction on Nov. 12th. Our Christmas party is in December. The second semester we will have Family Movie Night, Valentines Party, Track and Field day, Family Picnic, and our end of the Ice Cream Social,” Comer said.
Inclusion and awareness is greatly promoted with this international program. Activities like these fun ones listed by the Best Buddies sponsor shape an ACCESS student’s high school experience.
“I love seeing how little actions to include can really change some of the special needs kids experience at high school and being able to raise awareness about disabilities,” Callie Mortensen, Best Buddies president, said.
Best Buddies is not only a Klein Cain organization. This program is worldwide, so if not given the chance in high school to join, it’s never too late.
“There are other Best Buddies organizations all around like colleges and other schools, so for those who are interested, they can continue after high school,” Arias-Gomez said.
The Best Buddies program’s primary focus is to accept all individuals with unconditional acceptance and compassion.
“Love without limits,” Mortensen said.
