Through Best Buddies, Carvel found more than friendship. He found confidence, connection, and a way to lead by example. “Best Buddies have allowed me to become a good friend and leader by helping me to gain connection.”

Carvel has been a part of Best Buddies at Lake Braddock Secondary School and the Pulley Career Center at West Potomac High School. “I have enjoyed the friendship, the memories and all of the special things that we’ve done at each school. Each buddy became a friend, and that friend became someone I could connect to in the community.”

His friendships weren’t limited to school hallways. Carvel often saw his Best Buddies friends at his brother’s football games. “They would always say ‘Hi!’ to me and I would say ‘Hi!’ to them.” Other people from the team would ask how Carvel and his friends knew each other, and they’d happily say, “From Best Buddies!”

But things didn’t start out that way. At first, Carvel had a challenging time making friends and expressing himself. “It was a struggle for me at first not being able to communicate my thoughts and feeling excluded in the school.” Carvel began attending monthly Best Buddies meetings and started out connecting with other Best Buddies members through high fives, thumbs up and fist bumps. “They help me feel accepted even though I don’t talk as much. This encouraged me to say ‘Hi!’ and ‘What’s up?’. They responded back not only in the Best Buddies meeting but in the community.”

Carvel has come out of his shell and is now the one to encourage other people to branch out. “I am a leader when some don’t feel accepted. I show and display the independence that it’s okay. I show them what a Best Buddy can do. I say hi and show positivity and show kindness to others, and that is what makes me a good leader.”

Carvel also puts his leadership skills into practice at Best Buddies special events like the Homecoming Dance and Friendship Walk. His favorite memory was making bracelets at the Homecoming Dance. “I enjoyed the music, the people and dressing up with my brother who always chaperoned me and taking pictures with my friends.”

Carvel also made a new friend and fun memory at the Friendship Walk. “There was a young man who didn’t see any representation of himself on the walk until his mom saw my picture among the Class of 2025 photos. They began to sign my picture and didn’t know we were walking up. When he saw me, he hugged me and asked if he could get a picture.” To Carvel, this was the perfect example of how being a part of Best Buddies can create good friendships, lasting memories, and representation.

After graduation, Carvel is looking forward to applying what he’s learned from Best Buddies into his entrepreneurial journey. He wants to increase representation and inclusion through his online T-shirt business, ABLE.

“ABLE stands for apply, believe, learn and engage,” Carvel explained. “These are the things that I have learned in some of our best buddy group meetings.”

Carvel became passionate about t-shirts because they are a statement and helpful tool. “They can speak if you can’t. They can show expression if you can’t.”

As he reflects on his high school years and Best Buddies experience, Carvel has advice for younger students like himself interested in Best Buddies. “Because of Best Buddies I became a part of a group of people who like to be friends with all people. Letting them join will allow them to find a voice, confidence, connection and most of all a buddy.”