Advisor Banda loves safe and inclusive environment of Best Buddies Club

Best Buddies is an international organization “that creates opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities” and often pairs them with peers in the general education population and beyond for friendship and community building in their school and local area. The group engages in tons of social events like a Best Buddies Prom, a Friendship Walk, and many other field trips. 

ARHS’s special education and English teacher Marita Banda and paraeducator Sok Lim are the advisors to the club. 

Banda loves its mission. “I think it’s important to create inclusion,” she said. “I also have an attachment to many of the students because [I met them when I worked at] Wildwood.” 

The Best Buddies Club recently participated in a Friendship Walk that helped raise money to create programs, job opportunities, and inclusive living opportunities for disabled people. The ARHS group won this fundraiser by pulling in the largest amount of donations. “In addition to raising small funds, we also received a very large donation,” said Banda.

As an advisor, Banda also connects with the Western Mass program coordinators for Best Buddies. “My goal is to grow the club as much as I can,” she said. “In meetings we also plan fun activities as well as a field day.”

The Best Buddies Club had a lot of successes this year, including taking part in an outing to grab pizza with the UMass football team, as well as hosting their own prom that brought guests from all over.

“Students feel included in the club’s safe space and they make friends inside and outside of school,” she said.

The Best Buddies Club has some continuing goals, including finding new ways to reach out to the community at large. The club is open to everyone at ARHS and they meet every Tuesday after school in room 167 from 3:45-4:45 p.m. 

To donate, check out bestbuddies.org or stop by Ms. Banda’s room.