At the start of 2025, Catherine Leake stepped into a new role at Nickerson Elementary School in Kansas with a familiar mission in mind, bringing Best Buddies with her. Having previously supported a chapter at Cajon High School in California, Catherine already knew the impact the program could have on a school community. She didn’t want to leave that behind.

With a clear vision and strong belief in inclusion, Catherine connected with Best Buddies International staff to explore what starting a chapter at Nickerson Elementary could look like. From those early conversations, something special quickly began to grow. Within its very first year, the Nickerson Elementary Best Buddies chapter launched successfully, engaging more than 30 students in building friendships and learning what inclusion looks like in action.

Catherine’s leadership helped shape a culture where students didn’t just learn about kindness they practiced it. One of the chapter’s standout moments came during the Spread the Word campaign, where students took ownership of the message and turned it into a schoolwide effort.

“My elementary students wrote a little speech, and some of them made posters at home that they brought in,” Catherine shared. “During morning announcements, they gave a talk about the significance of the words we use. Then, at lunch, they volunteered to go from table to table, talking to the tables, and asking them to sign a pledge.”

These simple but powerful actions helped spark conversations across the school about respect, language, and belonging, core values at the heart of Best Buddies.

Today, Catherine Leake and her students are making history as part of the FIRST Best Buddies Elementary School chapter in Kansas. Their early success is already showing what’s possible when leadership, compassion, and student voice come together.

Interested in getting involved? Reach out today to learn how Best Buddies can become part of your school: kansas@bestbuddies.org