Here at Shadow Ridge, there are several fun activities students can participate in, and Best Buddies Club is one of them. Best Buddies is a fun and interactive club that helps students with intellectual and developmental disabilities feel more comfortable and happy at the school.
To become a part of the club, all students have to do is show up to room 210 after school on Monday, and get paired up with a buddy after being instructed on what to do.
Best Buddies often participate in fun activities such as, Best Buddies Donut Fundraiser, Best Buddies Ice Cream Social, Spirit Weeks and cleaning up around the school, along with making different crafts for different reasons. For example, cards for hospital patients, and collaborating with Fashion Club for more fun.
Recently, Best Buddies held a Valentines Day Dance on February 14th, during 7th period. The dance was only open to special needs students at Shadow and members who are actively participating in the club. If a student joined just to go to the dance, it’s likely they weren’t let in.
The reasons behind there being a small dance is very simple, it’s a fun and enjoyable experience that will not make anyone overwhelmed.
Junior, Ashton Dyson states, ¨We want the buddies to be able to have an enjoyable high school experience and to be able to celebrate different holidays and events with their peers.¨
When it comes down to most high school students, including special needs, it is easy to get overwhelmed.
Dyson stated, ¨I am pretty fond of it. I’ve never been a dance person, but I always love setting up and participating in events with Best Buddies. Plus, it’s for a good cause. There’s only good to be found in this.¨
According to the Best Buddies Instagram page, the Best Buddies Valentine’s Dance was a total success. It was a fun, warming, and memorable dance for those who went.
The Best Buddies Club used teamwork to plan the dance and make sure everything was good.
Dyson stated, “It’s not too difficult to, it’s just a matter of figuring out what both we and the buddies want from the event and planning the logistics of it. We meet every week and split up into different teams for planning, decorations, etc. There’s a rhythm to it.¨
