On Tues., Oct. 29, from 6-8 p.m., Best Buddies hosted their annual Halloween celebration. Club members gathered for two hours of laughter and celebration.
The party was meant to be a fun event for all club members, but also served as an opportunity to reveal the buddy matches, which is when a peer buddy is matched with someone else in the club.
“We wanted to reveal who was matched up by having them wear matching costumes and celebrate the fall season,” English teacher and Best Buddies sponsor Coral Bachen said.
The event took place in a festively decorated cafeteria, featuring Halloween decor and games for everyone to play. Students posed for pictures, danced and enjoyed pizza and Halloween treats.
“It was really fun, seeing everybody come together,” junior Arianna Waca said. “I enjoyed seeing everyone be able to interact with one another and play games.”
A special moment during the evening came when the official buddy pairs were announced. Greeted with applause, the peer buddies found the person who matched costumes with them.
“Our program manager was there and she said that this was the best match party in the whole county,” Bachen said.
Best Buddies is an international organization dedicated to creating friendships and leadership opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The club focuses on building lasting friendships between students in general and special education classes.
“Best Buddies is all about providing one-on-one friendships for our students with developmental and physical disabilities,” Bachen said. “Pairing them with buddies from our general education classes helps them have as close to a normal high school experience as everyone else.”
The club aims to inform members who wish to join about understanding and appreciating those who may be different. Best Buddies emphasizes the importance of inclusion and involvement in one’s community.
“I hope that students gain an appreciation of everyone’s differences, seeing that all teenagers are the same no matter how they communicate or how they get around,” Bachen said. “I hope that everyone has a lot of fun and takes this opportunity to go out and do their own kinds of activities together.”
For Bachen, being the Best Buddies sponsor is personal.
“I have several family members who are on the spectrum or who have other IDD,” Bachen said. “Being able to open up the community here on our campus and allowing them to have a high school experience to remember is something that’s near and dear to my heart.”
The Best Buddies Halloween party was more than just a chance to wear costumes; it was a celebration of friendship, kindness and inclusion. The club encourages anyone who wishes to join to come and enjoy the fun.
