Best Buddies - Belmont High School program fosters positive relationships between students with different abilities

BY GAIL OBER, LACONIA DAILY SUN

BELMONT — Although recruiting has already begun, next year high school students will join the newest chapter of Best Buddies – a nationwide program that pairs a high school student with one who is intellectually challenged.

School psychiatrist Dr. Ryan Long, who sits on the state advisory board, said so far there has been a great deal of interest shown by high school students and about 20 have signed up for the program.

"We pair up students with intellectual disabilities with their more typical student friends," said Long. "It helps foster relationships."

Long said that the partnership helps students with disabilities feel more involved with their school and gives them more self confidence as they progress through their high school years.

He said the best buddies go to an activity like bowling, seeing a show or a movie, or taking in a sports event once a month.

Long said that challenged students often do well in school until about the sixth grade. After that, they start to fall behind and begin feeling left out of a typical school day.

"They're hanging on by a thread to keep their friends," he said, adding the schools really should be providing more opportunities for them.

"Once you connect these people, they develop these amazing friendships. It's about inclusion," he said, saying even inviting them to the lunch table or a soccer game can make a difference in their lives.

Right now, Belmont High School is getting together a team to walk in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk in Concord on May 14. He said so far, the members of both the boys and girls lacrosse teams have signed up to attend the event. He's hoping if the team can get big enough, they can hire a bus to represent the Shaker Regional School District in the walk.

Best Buddies has had a chapter in New Hampshire for two years. According to the New Hampshire website, "Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)."

For more information or to make a donation, go to their website at www.bestbuddies.org. To get involved with the Belmont chapter, call Long or Alex Takantjas at the Belmont High School.

Special Education teacher Alex Takantjas helps Carter Dutton and Jake Deware sign up for the “Best Buddies” program at Belmont High School during a unified basketball game. (Karen Bobotas/for the Laconia Daily Sun)