Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) can often feel socially isolated from their peers. Juniors Henry Moye, Freddie Kramer and Lola Lignugaris founded the Best Buddies Club in hopes of encouraging new friendships and connections for students with special needs.
“We were inspired to start a Best Buddies Club because Midtown lacks an inclusive environment where all students can be friends,” junior Moye, president of Best Buddies Club said. “We wanted to build the bridge and help develop the social skills of students with special needs. We were also greatly inspired by other schools that have the club.”
Kimberly Portee, the club’s adviser and special education teacher, emphasizes the importance of friendships and inclusivity within the club. She also said that though her students have been isolated in the past, the efforts of students in the club are already making a difference for her students.
“The club really opens up their world and shows them what friendships are,” Portee said. “It shows them that there are good people in the world that are accepting, because a lot of times, people just stare. You’ll see kids laugh, which is horrible; it’s really horrible, and they just want to be friends. They want to do the same things that all the other students do, in spite of their differences.”
Vice President Kramer said the Best Buddies Club brings a greater sense of inclusion to Midtown. She also said the importance of making every student feel valued and connected is an important aspect of the club activities.
“We felt it should be included at our school because it promotes a more inclusive environment where everyone gets to feel connected and valued,” Kramer said. “Being able to build new friendships and social skills all around is the main goal of ours.”
Junior Lignugaris, co-president, said the process of starting the club at Midtown was very long and had some obstacles, such as getting students with IDD, as well as their parents to be involved in the club.
“The process of starting the club started back in May, when this idea first came about,” Lignugaris said. “We had to go through lots of club approval and forms in order to successfully set up a club that interacts with the special education program, along with approval from Dr. Bockman (Principal Dr. Betsy Bockman) for service hours and such.”
The Best Buddies Club is a chapter of Best Buddies International, a global organization dedicated to ending social, physical and economic isolation of people with IDD. By starting a chapter at Midtown, Moye, Kramer and Lignugaris hope to bring this mission to Midtown.
“The mission of Best Buddies is to connect the school with the special education students in order to bond new friendships and an accepting community by being able to share one-to-one experiences between students, and offering fun and special activities to everyone,” Kramer said.
The Best Buddies Club hosts meetings and events twice a month where students with IDD are paired with peer buddies for social activities. These events range from playing games to holiday events and field trips.
“The Best Buddies Club will have different holiday themed parties where all members can celebrate, as well as field trips such as the zoo and aquarium to keep members engaged,” Kramer said. “During our regular meetings, we will have interactive activities as groups and one-to-one to be able to build connections.”
As the club welcomes members and becomes more known on campus, Moye and Kramer said they will commit to ensuring that all students feel welcome to join. Kramer said their focus is on creating a supportive community where members can learn from one another and build meaningful relationships.
“Our main goal is to spread inclusivity around the school and through this club our members will be learning important skills that we aim to spread to non-members for an overall welcoming environment at Midtown,” Kramer said.
Vicki Vinson, math teacher, said she is already seeing the impact and importance of the club on a personal level. Vinson takes care of her grandson Connor, who is autistic and nonverbal. Connor is now in his senior year, and Vinson is looking forward to his experience in the club.
“I am excited for Connor to join Midtown’s new Best Buddies Club,” Vinson said. “I am so proud of Henry and Lola for their insight and initiative for this program. Having him be a part of Best Buddies will allow Connor to feel more connected, as well as teach Connor and other students to have more social skills.”
Vinson said Connor will enjoy connecting with students outside of his class and participating in the club’s activities. She believes the club will disprove stereotypes, and show students with and without special needs that they share many similarities.
“Connor will love getting to know other students outside of his class, as well as being a part of the activities that the group has planned,” Vinson said. “This club will enhance the culture of Midtown by allowing them to be a part of the entire school, as well as non-special needs students’ understanding and acceptance of them. It can break down barriers and stereotypes with these special needs students and show them the commonalities that they share. I believe that it is important for other students to see that these kids are like them in many ways.”
As the club looks to the future, Moye said he hopes the club will continue expanding. He is striving for the club to be more than just meetings, and plans for it to reach more students.
“We hope that in a few years, the club has expanded and continued to grow so that a truly inclusive environment is built at Midtown,” Moye said. “We hope the club can include more students with special needs as it grows, and we also hope to do this by expanding to Howard and all who want to join the club. We aim to gain as many students as possible to help with the club, and expand the club beyond meetings.”
Kramer also specifically emphasizes having an open mindset and genuine interest in inclusivity is key to making the most of this opportunity. Respect and passion are also highlighted as key values within the Best Buddies Club, and students who are willing to embrace these values will find a place within the group.
“We encourage students looking to join to approach this opportunity with an open heart and a willingness to learn,” Kramer said. “If students are passionate and interested in the club we would love for them to join as we advocate for inclusivity.”
