Although I am a late addition to Beaver Area High School’s Best Buddies club, I have greatly enjoyed my time participating and hope to influence you underclassmen or future seniors to join!

As I began my ECHO career, so I end it: I am again recommending a club to join.

Having been blasted with fun-filled trips and life-long memories, Best Buddies has motivated me to influence you, dear reader, to join.

Within my time in Best Buddies I have developed my compassion, communication skills, and gained some of my most genuine friendships.

Almost all of the field trips I have been on this year have been for Best Buddies including Special Olympics Bowling and Track and Field, and the Best Buddies Friendship Walk in Pittsburgh which you can read about in this issue!

Best Buddies not only boosts your resume as a member of a globally recognized club/organization, but helps to foster long-lasting friendships and promotes inclusion for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies as an organization is “dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).”

A large organization fueled by a righteous purpose, Best Buddies has to be the best club Beaver Area High School has to offer (sorry SHOUT).

Not only does your involvement with Best Buddies boost inclusion for others and promote an environment where all can be heard and seen, you can benefit greatly—as I and Best Buddies Beaver Area president senior Sydney Stitsel have.

When asked about her experiences as President of Best Buddies, Stitsel said, “being a part of Best Buddies changed my life.”

A glowing endorsement from the club president, Stitsel also noted her strong reverence for Buddy Night.

Buddy Night is an event during football season where all participating members of Best Buddies get together on the field and get recognized by the school.

Stitsel elaborated, “Buddy Night gives our Buddies with IDDs an opportunity to feel included and loved. It just makes me happy.”

Through Best Buddies I have secured my decision of career and college major (Early Childhood Education), practiced leadership, developed strong communication skills, and self-actualized my goals of compassion and inclusion.

If you’re a person who loves people and wants to make the world a better place, I STRONGLY encourage you to join the Best Buddies club and take advantage of this opportunity.