{"id":183441,"date":"2024-08-15T10:00:13","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T14:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/?p=183441"},"modified":"2024-08-15T10:00:13","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T14:00:13","slug":"best-buddies-ambassadors-michaels-story-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/newyork\/students-with-disabilities-shine-at-the-best-buddies-conference","title":{"rendered":"Generation ROC: Students with disabilities shine at the Best Buddies conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;183442&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;15px&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<p>A group of hardworking and unique students returned from a major learning experience to teach people with disabilities inclusion and independence.<\/p>\n<p>Meeting some of your best friends and growing together is what the Best Buddies program is all about. This dedicated group of local students just returned from putting those words into action at an international leadership conference in Bloomington, Indiana.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really, really loved it a lot. I can\u2019t believe how mature and responsible I am,\u201d said student Claire McLaughlin.<\/p>\n<p>The first hurdle to clear though \u2014 was just getting there!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were supposed to fly down on the day of the IT outage. A flight turned into a bus ride \u2014which got canceled \u2014 which turned into us driving down, and the students handled it with ease,\u201d said mentor Josh Miles. \u201cJust every single change that was frustrating and challenging, and they took it all in stride.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Once they arrived, the students and mentors dove right into the workshops on independence, job training, and advocacy for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as plenty of fun activities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI learned a lot about how to be a good leader and how to do a lot of fun things for my chapter,\u201d said student Lilly Keen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI learned to be included from my whole entire friends to be included in Best Buddies,\u201d added student Katie Frost.<\/p>\n<p>The goal of the conference and the Best Buddies program is to improve these young leaders\u2019 relationships, communication, and self-pride \u2014 giving them the best shot at achieving their dreams.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to be a pop star,\u201d said student Diego Santiago. \u201cBe famous and spectacular!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust seeing them be in an environment where they\u2019re able to grow beyond what they might be able to in a lot of other areas is just incredible, and it makes me really proud of them and all they\u2019re able to do,\u201d Miles said.<\/p>\n<p>The students say they are ready to learn more about how to care for themselves, and their peers, and to make sure \u201cevery buddy belongs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like it when everyone is trying to evolve with the Best Buddies program,\u201d said student Liz Waltz. \u201cI want to learn that different people can be everyone who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Link to the video:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rochesterfirst.com\/generation-roc\/generation-roc-students-with-disabilities-shine-at-the-best-buddies-conference\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow&amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawEq3mJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHf3AeHxBaUQM9dvz0edz-1XZB1HCikAtg7v9wcNuKlVd9yczijrOoEX4aA_aem_13TjuVm_LH94Q8A30Z2OFg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch the video<\/a><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Best Buddies WNY talks about Leadership Conference<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2080,"featured_media":183442,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"ny-single-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[495],"tags":[562],"class_list":["post-183441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york-news","tag-new-york-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - 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