Local Stanley-Boyd high school students, Grace Schmidt, Jaden Pennala and Delani Mercier have started “Be a Buddy,” a program designed for any middle or high school students to encourage friendships with students in special education classes. Once a week, they stay after school for one hour to participate in a fun activity such as, crafts, karaoke, baking, playing board games, reading, and dancing. A supervisor will be present, and an academic late bus will be offered for any students that need a ride home. The three girls commented that this project would support the interests of and include all students to make new friends and have fun and they mentioned that they are planning cookie decorating and gift-wrapping activities for the month of December.

The initial idea for the project began with Grace after she noticed that her twin sister, who has Down’s Syndrome, discovered her passion for singing after recently joining the school’s choir and drama club. Her sister loved spending time with her peers and friends that she made at these activities. Grace thought it was really inspiring seeing her sister connect with others and was hoping she could help other students experience that same sense of belonging; but she was concerned that in middle and high school, students with special needs weren’t involved in many school activities and didn’t have as many opportunities to connect with their peers as they did in elementary school. Together Grace, Delani, and Jaden brainstormed ways to connect students in high school with students in the high school and middle school special education classes. The girls were inspired by the national Best Buddies program created in 1989 to encourage and support friendships between people with and without disabilities. The program, which was started by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, has grown into a global volunteer movement.

Grace, Delani and Jaden shared that the Be a Buddy program is for the FCCLA club which hosts STAR projects. They explained, “STAR stands for Students Taking Action with Recognition, and it consists of a wide variety of events students can participate and compete in using leadership skills. We are participating in the community service display event and if we do good in this project, we can make it to the state level and maybe even nationals held in Seattle, Washington!” The girls have a goal to eventually join together with Special Olympics and attract even more group participation.

To raise funds for The Buddy Project, the girls along with help from Grace’s mom, Sarah, baked, sold and delivered forty-eight apple crisps to local community members. The profits from the sale of the apple crisp desserts provided the funds that the girls need to start their project. The girls shared how they thought to use those funds. “We planned on making t-shirts to give to both the buddies and students in addition to having supplies for new activities each week.” They also commented that people in the community have been supportive of their Buddy project, donating money, apples for the apple crisps, craft supplies for some of our activities, or even volunteering to be supervisors during the hour after school. The girls plan to begin their project at Stanley-Boyd the last week of November and while they will initially begin at Stanley-Boyd, if it’s a success, they will look into inviting other schools to participate.

For those looking to contribute, cash donations to the program can be dropped off or mailed to the Stanley Boyd HS, ℅ Ms. Thorpe, FCCLA Advisor, “The Buddy Project,” and will be used to support the weekly activities or group t-shirt purchases.