Snap, crackle, pop!

The Best Buddies chapter at Smithfield High School in Virginia held a Rice Krispie-making event full of creativity, laughter and friendship. This was just one of the many events Smithfield Best Buddies has held since the chapter opened in August, 2023.

“The sponsors, buddies, and I have been working hard to set a good example for the future school years to come. We’ve done a lot so far like volunteering for town events, weekly meetings, and parties making food and we still have a lot more events planned!” said chapter president, Forest B.

Smithfield is one of the newest Best Buddies chapters in Virginia and DC. The chapter has been active in creating matches and hosting events for participants to connect.

“Starting our chapter here has been really important because in small towns like Smithfield people with special needs are often looked down upon, especially in the school systems, and simply having a place for kids to feel welcome and meet people can do so much for the well-being of everyone involved, and I can’t wait to see how it grows.” Forrest continued.

Smithfield is just one of the 20 new school chapters opened since the fall of 2022 as a part of Best Buddies Mission Expansion. With each chapter opened, a seed is planted for one-to-one friendships to grow between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). While our primary focus has been on schools in central and southern Virginia and public schools in Washington, DC, we’ve also expanded by opening more chapters in Northern Virginia (NoVA).

Lead Program Manager Claire, who oversees Misson Expansion, shares information about school-based chapters at various community events, such as the Autism Society of Central Virginia’s Duck Race where visitors to the Best Buddies tent competed in a logo coloring event. Through tabling events, targeted emails, and meetings with school administrators and special education advisors, the Best Buddies’ mission of inclusion is spreading quickly.

“Best Buddies is a program that has truly enriched anyone who is a part of it. Being a self-contained special education teacher it is hard to find ways to integrate our students into the general education population. This program is the bridge for that problem, the general education students that are a part of it come up to our students in the hallways, cafeteria, and even in the community outside of school to speak to them,” said Brittany Kania, Special Education Teacher and Smithfield Best Buddies advisor.

“They truly speak to them too,” Brittany continued, “asking them how they are, or what they are doing that weekend. They are truly forming genuine friendships out of common interest and mutual respect.”

As more and more high school chapters take off, Best Buddies hopes to open chapters in feeder elementary and middle schools to make inclusion second nature for the youngest learners. The earlier people are exposed to others that are different than them, the more likely they are to embrace one another and create meaningful friendships, like the ones Brittany sees at each chapter event.

“To say these meet-ups are good for the soul is an understatement, even us teachers walk away feeling happier and recharged just by watching these amazing young people have fun.”

Are you interested in opening a Best Buddies chapter at your school? Fill out this interest form or contact our Lead Program Manager, Claire Carrico at ClaireCarrico@bestbuddies.org.