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What is Best Buddies/Club Description?
Riverside Brookfield High School Best Buddies program is a student-run friendship club with activities throughout the school year for students with and without disabilities. RBHS’s Best Buddies program is a chapter of the national Best Buddies organization, and both programs help foster an inclusive school climate and a community culture of acceptance. The clubs recognize friendship and differences among their members. Buddies participate in activities both in and out of school, including in school socials, dance/game nights, bowling, arcade, and so much more. RBHS’s Best Buddies Program is for all students.
How do students get to be in Best Buddies?
Each year, parents of buddies will receive an email and a call from the club sponsors to see if their child wants to participate. Students interested in being a peer buddy or associate buddy should listen to announcements and attend chapter meetings to sign up. They can also contact the club sponsors (Mr. Zilinger and Mrs. Colella) to gather more information.
Peer buddy commitment is the whole school year (although we hope longer) and needs to have an interview which is conducted in September. More information will be given during announcements and chapter meetings at the start of the year.
Membership in the programs lasts for one year, although we hope all members stay until the time of their graduation.
What are the members’ responsibilities?
- Officer: Officer positions are open to all sophomore, junior, and senior students. Sign ups are available during the month of April. NO prior experience is necessary.
- Peer Buddy: If selected to be a Peer Buddy, Best Buddies asks all buddy pairs to spend time together at least once per month outside of school. Buddy groups are also asked to text outside of school and spend time together in school if possible at lunches and/or walking to classes.
- Event Buddy: Attend events and hang out in any of the buddy groups.
*** All chapter members are expected to be good role models at all times.***
Meeting Times:
Chapter meetings are conducted once a month during all lunch periods. The schedule is posted outside of the buddy room. Pay attention to student announcements, Remind app, and Instagram (@RBBestBuddies) for date changes.
What can parents do?
You can support your child's new friendship by talking about it and asking questions. Consider making arrangements for the buddies to spend time together outside of school, and encourage your child to continue the friendship after his or her time in the program ends. Should parents have any concerns about current buddy pairs or would like more information on the program, please contact Mr. Zilinger ([email protected]) and Mrs. Colella ([email protected])
Questions?
Contact Mr. Zilinger ([email protected]) and Mrs. Colella ([email protected]) for more information.
President(s): Kate Newberry and Bella Ventura
Vice President: Greta Staneviciute
Directors of Communications: Jessica Bellm and Sofia Miller
Peer Buddy Coordinators: Cam Dominick and Christina Melchiors
Exec. Board:
Simone Arazy
Akemi De Lemos
Khrysler Jimenez
Janitza Macias
Fiona Ostrowski
Buddy Director(s): Eli Fox
Sponsor(s):
Mitch Zilinger
Ext: 2317 Email: [email protected]
Janet Colella
Ext: 2278 Email: [email protected]
Social Media:
Instagram: @RBBestBuddies
Remind: Text “@rbhsbest” to 81010
