Katie Brydon, Deputy Director, Programs
Best Buddies International

The words that come up most when discussing Best Buddies Middle Schools Buddy Pairs are: natural, genuine and true friendship.  The Best Buddies Middle Schools program is now in its ninth year of fostering friendships between students in fifth through eighth grade.  As of 2001, this program is now present on 145 school campuses and growing.   Arizona is currently in the process of developing the Best Buddies model in middle schools surrounding Phoenix.  Its state goal is to open eight middle school chapters in 2010.  Staff has found this process extremely positive, especially with a history of requests to open chapters over the years.

The middle school age is the perfect time to introduce Best Buddies to students who are excited to engage in the mission, meet new friends and celebrate each other’s differences.  This understanding and friendship increases as middle school participants continue their involvement in Best Buddies programs through adulthood.  People are never too young to engage in this mission and make a difference in their life and the lives of those around them, and Best Buddies Middle Schools proves this.

The success of Best Buddies Middle Schools is recognizable through the friendships formed.  The Best Buddies Program Manager that oversees the friendship between Jaleel and John of Amherst Middle School explains, “Last year it was a little harder to integrate and find a Buddy for Jaleel, but that's changed a lot this year.  John (his Peer Buddy) was able to find an authentic connection with Jaleel, as they both have an interest in engineering.  They now show up to meetings to have a quick snack after school with other pairs, and then head off on their own to Engineering Club, which meets at the same time.  I think this match really shows that when we offer a lot of support and keep people engaged - even when it takes extra effort - and when given some time to improve on our challenges, we will find matches that really click and will be long lasting friendships.”  Apart from the challenges faced in creating opportunities for friendship with such a young age group, “when it works, we find true bonds between people that can last.  It's great that Jaleel found this bond with someone, and that he will continue to share this relationship with John when they both go to the Amherst High School Best Buddies Chapter.”

Not only does Best Buddies Middle Schools celebrate the honest friendships fostered, but it also focuses a great deal of attention on leadership development.  At Joyce Middle School in Woburn, Massachusetts the Faculty Advisor shares the thoughts of the mother of their chapter’s Buddy Director (an officer position held by a person with an intellectual or developmental disability in the chapter): "His mom told me last year that Best Buddies has made a huge difference in Tim's life and she only wished that it had started in second grade.  She also said that his brother, a twin who attends the other middle school, is jealous of Tim.  Tim never stops talking about Best Buddies.”  From east to west, the meaning of the Best Buddies mission is evident.

Best Buddies Middle Schools may be the newest school-based friendship program with the youngest participants, but the mission is not lost on the excitable members of this program.  At a young age, students learn to respect each other’s differences and create meaningful, authentic relationships they can foster for the rest of their lives.  The joy and success of the Best Buddies Middle Schools program proves that anyone can understand the value of its mission and it is never too early to learn how to be a great friend for life.