A mission of friendship

It was an evening of food, music and camaraderie as students, parents and South Side High School faculty gathered in the auditorium of the village’s Recreation Center on Oct. 13 to kick off the school's new 180-member Best Buddies Club, with 12 special education students meeting their specially matched peer “buddies.”

During her introduction, Lindsey Levine, South Side's Best Buddies chapter president, described an overwhelming response to the club, which is replacing the Cyclone Circle that for years had paired students from the regular South Side population with students with disabilities.

Best Buddies is a program founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver and has grown from one chapter to 1,400 college, high school and middle school campuses across the country and internationally. It is similar to the Cyclone Circle at South Side but will expand the activities buddies do together to include many that take place outside school. Planned activities include dances at Halloween and other holidays, bowling trips, holiday ornament preparation and community service projects such as a food drive.

Levine told the crowd that 180 South Side High students submitted membership applications. The following week, chapter officers interviewed about 45 students who wanted a special role beyond that of an associate member — peer buddy. Of those, 12 were selected after the officers determined they were the most committed and reliable and would show their buddies a good time.

"We're helping the buddies, but actually the buddies are helping everyone else," said Levine.

Senior Melanie Valls was ecstatic to be matched with fellow senior Jess Errera. Valls, a special education student, said she is planning to go to college next year and intends to shop, see movies, do nails, hang out and maybe do some schoolwork with Errera (with the emphasis, she said, on "maybe").

For her part, Errera said she had been involved in the Center Stage production of "High School Musical — South Side Style" in April that featured a collaboration between the school's special and general education students in an adaptation of the play co-authored by special education student Bryan Nesdill and his longtime friend Cathy Mackey.

"I had so much fun and knew Mel from last year," Errera said, "that I just knew Best Buddies would be fun."

"We planted a seed and they made it grow," said Assistant Principal Noreen Leahy, noting that the South Side Best Buddies chapter, even in its infancy, is already one of the largest in the nation. "The response from the student body tells us how well connected the students are to others that are in need. It speaks to South Side's priority of blending — getting all different types of students to get to know each other."

In addition to Levine, club officers include vice presidents Kelly Limerick and Leah Beaudet, treasurers Brian McEvoy and Beth Gidicsin, Director of Activities Terence White, Membership Coordinator Danielle Aloitta, Corresponding Secretary Katie Richner, Recording Secretary Aylin Aydinoglu, Fundraising Coordinator Jessica Errera and historian/photographer Emily Considine. The faculty club advisors are Mariann Vogel, Rob Devlin, Gina Peck, Bill Busch and Noreen Leahy. Celebrating along with the high school students at the kickoff were best buddies from the South Side Middle School chapter, also new.

"I just can't be more thrilled for her to have a friend from the 'typical' population," said Suzanne Valls, Melanie's mother. "The experience is going to revolutionize everyone's perception of people with disabilities. Organizations like this really can change the world.

"There are kids in middle school starting this who will have a phenomenal experience," she added. "High school will be totally different [for them]. It can change their entire future."

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