Last month at Best Buddies Leadership Conference (BBLC), Perkiomen Valley (PV) High School was awarded International Outstanding Chapter of the Year—an award Best Buddies Pennsylvania has not received in more than 10 years.

Among 60 active high school chapters in Pennsylvania and 1,400 active high school chapters across the globe, PV Best Buddies, also known as Viking Buddies, was nominated by Best Buddies PA staff for this recognition, carefully selected by Best Buddies International for this honor, and recognized on stage in front of more than 2,500 attendees at BBLC. Advisor Mrs. Ashley Roche, Chapter President Kenedy Schummer, and Chapter Leaders Carrigan Davis and Brynn Schultz attended BBLC this summer and accepted this award on behalf of Viking Buddies.

Located in Collegeville, PA— Viking Buddies goes “above and beyond” in creating inclusive spaces, supporting one-to-one friendships, and advocating for the inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in every aspect of the school experience. In the 2025-2026 school year, Viking Buddies consisted of two advisors, more than 70 members, 7 students on their inclusive leadership team, and 22 one-to-one friendship matches.

Last year alone—Viking Buddies hosted multiple student leadership training events to prepare and equip their students with the skills and confidence to be strong leaders and role models, they were recognized by Special Olympics Pennsylvania as a National Banner Unified Champion School for offering unified sports, inclusive youth programming, and whole school engagement, and they hosted countless noteworthy events— including their student-run Inclusion Bingo Night Fundraiser which raised over $7,000 for their chapter, Best Buddies, and their local community. Most importantly— one-to-one friendship matches at PV were authentic, genuine, and meaningful, with most matches regularly seeing each other at Viking Buddies meetings and events and connecting outside of school through texts, calls, and in-person hang-outs.

A final word from Viking Buddies:

“Inclusion at PV is not viewed as a program or initiative—it is part of our identity. It is reflected in friendships that extend beyond school walls, students advocating for one another without hesitation, and a culture where every student is known, valued, and included. Through Best Buddies, Unified programming, and countless peer-led acts of connection and advocacy, we have built a school community where belonging is real, meaningful, and lasting. We believe this culture of authentic inclusion is what made our chapter deserving of this incredible award.”

Congratulations Perkiomen Valley High School Viking Buddies for winning Best Buddies International Outstanding Chapter of the Year! Thank you for your commitment to building meaningful friendships, advocating for inclusion at PV, and for contributing to a world where everyone is not only welcomed, but fully included, valued, and empowered to participate. Keep changing the world!