Best Buddies

[Guest guest]

My daughter Tatyanna is involved at college with a program. They meet with

the kids once a week or more often and so anything from video games, walks,

shopping... or just hanging out. It depends on the match up, the schedule and

the interests of the kids. They also have some group activities. Rewarding.

Connie

In a message dated 11/29/2006 12:51:02 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

northnr@... writes:

Are anyone's kids involed in Best Buddies? What type of activities do they

do with our kids?

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Hi,

They gave Best Buddies a half hearted attempt at our school. I have heard it

works well when done correctly.

Jean

[Guest guest]

I am not familiar with the Best Buddies program, but we have an

exceptional teacher in our school district who has developed a course

called P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S. (Peers, Acceptance, Respect, Trust, Nurturing,

Esteem, Relationships, Social Skills). It is a great program the

pairs non-disables and disabled kids. You can learn more about the

teacher, Kendra Naef, here:

http://www.mff.org/mea/mea.taf?page=recipient & meaID=17909,

If you would like to see a description of the class you can find it

here on page 4 -

http://www.kimberly.k12.wi.us/KHS/Guidance/Resources/fcs06.pdf

Jackie Boyd

mom to , 19, and le, 16

>

> Are anyone's kids involed in Best Buddies? What type of activities

do they do with our kids?

> Kathy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi all:

This is a great potential resource...

Do people in IPADD know about Best Buddies? My daughter Kim had an e-

mail buddy, there were none in our area, but it is worth checking

out!!!

Arc and Best Buddies Story

The Arc of Illinois

April 21, 2008

Leaders in The Arc:

Good story on Best Buddies from Chicago Tribune.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

708-206-1930

www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/metro/ch

i-buddies_bd20apr20,2,5981058.story

chicagotribune.com

With buddies, they're 1 of the gang

Movement matches disabled students with other teens, transforming

special education in Illinois and throughout the country

By Keilman

Tribune reporter

April 20, 2008

St. Marie flung her bowling ball down the lane and spun on

her heels with a frown, shuffling back to her seat before the ball

clattered into the gutter.

, 14, an 8th grader at Creekside Middle School in Woodstock,

is autistic and the outing to a noisy bowling alley was proving

unsettling. But as tried again, a classmate stood at her

side, telling her to keep her eyes on the ball as it knocked down all

the pins but one.

" That was great! " exclaimed Arlinda Fasliu, 13, as a slight smile

creeped over 's face. " Oh, my God! That was so good! "

It was a small moment, a tiny illustration of the " peer buddy "

movement that is transforming special education across Illinois and

the nation. Developmentally disabled students are matched

with " regular " teens to bridge the social gulf that has persisted

through decades of attempts to merge special-education children into

the academic mainstream.

The focus is on teaching social skills to the disabled and empathy to

general education students. But through pizza parties, movie dates

and simple conversations at cafeteria tables, those who join often

find something more valuable taking root.

" It's hard for me to make friends, " said. " Now I can. "

Mainstreaming special-education students isn't a new idea. Harold

Kleinert, executive director of the Human Development Institute at

the University of Kentucky, said widespread ef! forts be gan three

decades ago by including the disabled in activities such as music and

physical education.

In the late 1980s, educators concentrated on getting the students

into conventional academic classes, a trend that accelerated when No

Child Left Behind rules started judging schools partly on the test

scores of children in special education, he said.

Now the inclusion movement has shifted to extracurricular and social

activities designed to make disabled students feel like part of the

larger school community, Kleinert said.

" Think back to our own school days, " he said. " Extracurricular was

just as important as academics to produce a feeling of belonging. And

there's a lot of research to indicate that a feeling of inclusion in

school translates to greater outcomes after school. "

That's partly because mainstream teens can help disabled youths

absorb the vital social cues they will need when they're out of

school, said Carolyn , a Vanderbilt University education

professor who has co-written a book about peer buddies.

" There are plenty of studies that show the main reason a person with

a disability might lose a job is due to lack of social skills versus

not being able to do the job, " she said.

Peer buddy experiences are designed to build those skills in ways

both overt and subtle. During Creekside's bowling outing, autism

facilitator handed a 7th grader a small stack of

index cards bearing conversational cues: Good try! Nice roll! Do you

bowl a lot?

" He has a hard time with conversation skills, so I give him these, "

she said. " It makes it easier, but he doesn't like it. "

Indeed, the teen ignored the cards, but he seemed to understand the

larger message. When his buddy rolled a strike, he silently held up

his hand for a high-five.

Creekside this year formed a chapter of Best Buddies, a peer program

that has! come to more than 1,300 schools around the world, including

more than 70 in Illinois, since its inception in 1989. , the

group's adviser, said she screened the 16 mainstream kids who signed

up to make sure none were looking for an excuse to get out of class.

Her diligence appears to have been rewarded: She and others said

genuine friendships have formed at Creekside between children who

previously had little interaction.

" I went to grade school with him, and I didn't really know him, "

Wyatt Meyer, 12, said of a buddy who spends most of his day in

special-education classrooms. " But we both kind of like sports. I've

made friends with [the buddy] and some of the other kids too. "

The relationships can change behavior on both sides. Misty Ernest

said her autistic son, Ian Stroud, 11, is learning to control his

tendency to monopolize conversations.

" When something interests him, he researches it to the point where he

knows every single thing about whatever subject " - including Egyptian

mummies and the band Supertramp - " and sometimes that doesn't jell

well with others, " she said.

The other kids gently redirect discussions, improving her son's

social behavior without embarrassing him, she said.

Conversely, Carolyn Stec, the mother of peer buddy Grant, 13, said

her son's interaction with a withdrawn special-education student has

prompted him to shed some of his own reserve.

" This has been a blessing, just to force him out of his comfort

zone, " she said. " The challenge of meeting somebody new, someone

who's been handpicked with you in mind, I think it's making Grant

more outgoing. "

Some say the lessons learned by mainstream teens could have larger

effects in the years to come as they assume influence in business and

government.

" Their awareness has been heightened, " said Ken of Keshet,

which coordinates peer buddy interaction at area Jewish day

schools. " Whatever positions they! attain, it will transform the way

people look at children with disabilities. "

But sweeping societal change appears to be the last thing on the

minds of participants.

Jackie Finn and Foran, who met four years ago in Oak Park and

River Forest High School's Best Buddies program, spend most of their

time together going to the movies, gabbing on the phone and meeting

for Saturday breakfasts where " High School Musical " dominates the

discussion.

" My relationship with Jackie is based on pure love, " said Foran,

18. " If I ever need someone to pick me up, I can call Jackie. I never

worry about being judged. It's given me a greater sense of care and

love . . . and a sense of how friendship can break down barriers

between people, between differences. "

Finn, 17, had a more visceral take. Asked what it felt like to have

made a friend like Foran, she giggled, played with her hair and

pondered for a long moment before giving her answer:

" Happy, " she said. " Happy. "

jkeilman@...

, Chicago Tribune

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[Guest guest]

My daughter, Annie is 25 years old and has Down syndrome. She has

been in Best Buddies for several years, connected with the group at U

of I in Champaign-Urbana. Here experience has varied based on the

buddy she is assigned each year - some really good, some okay. She

loves it this year, and talks on the phone frequently with her buddy.

One caution - Best Buddies, at least in our area, likes to have once a

month big group activities, and it has been our experience that some

of those are not really age appropriate for adults, although with some

feedback from parents that has improved over time. For instance,

coloring pictures as an activity at a party, or going to a playground.

Most are good - dances, bowling, pizza parties, and sports events, to

name a few.

Vicki

[Guest guest]

My daughter has an ebuddy and is also paired up thru Best Buddies at

University. I had brought the program to our high school when she was there.

Some programs are much better than others, but it is worth looking into if you

can find one in your community. The idea is for the typical person to spend

time with the Buddy on a regular basis, providing peer experiences. We've had

some that were great and visited on a regular basis, others only did the high

visibility events. Our area has a spring " Prom " and the adult group held a

" Hollywood " event where they all dressed up and had dinner and dancing. You can

google Best Buddies and get the info. Gloria

[Guest guest]

Just go to www.bestbuddies.org for the basic info' and to schedule an interview.

> >

> > Best Buddies is a great group. Some are better than others, depending on

how

> vested they are in the philosophy. We have had some great buddies, others ok,

> but always worthwhile. I encourage anyone looking for peers to socialize with

> individuals to look into Best Buddies. They go from middle school, thru

college

> and up to Best Buddies Citizen which is for older adults, and they have

ebuddies

> too. Gloria

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Just go to www.bestbuddies.org for the basic info' and to schedule an interview.

> >

> > Best Buddies is a great group. Some are better than others, depending on

how

> vested they are in the philosophy. We have had some great buddies, others ok,

> but always worthwhile. I encourage anyone looking for peers to socialize with

> individuals to look into Best Buddies. They go from middle school, thru

college

> and up to Best Buddies Citizen which is for older adults, and they have

ebuddies

> too. Gloria

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the information, but there are no adult programs listed for

Illinois....only college-aged kids, high school e-buddies and middle schools.

Re: best buddies

Just go to www.bestbuddies.org for the basic info' and to schedule an interview.

> >

> > Best Buddies is a great group. Some are better than others, depending on

how

> vested they are in the philosophy. We have had some great buddies, others ok,

> but always worthwhile. I encourage anyone looking for peers to socialize with

> individuals to look into Best Buddies. They go from middle school, thru

college

> and up to Best Buddies Citizen which is for older adults, and they have

ebuddies

> too. Gloria

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the information, but there are no adult programs listed for

Illinois....only college-aged kids, high school e-buddies and middle schools.

Re: best buddies

Just go to www.bestbuddies.org for the basic info' and to schedule an interview.

> >

> > Best Buddies is a great group. Some are better than others, depending on

how

> vested they are in the philosophy. We have had some great buddies, others ok,

> but always worthwhile. I encourage anyone looking for peers to socialize with

> individuals to look into Best Buddies. They go from middle school, thru

college

> and up to Best Buddies Citizen which is for older adults, and they have

ebuddies

> too. Gloria

> >

> >