Each year at Paint Branch a student with disabilities and a student without disabilities form a friendship through the Best Buddies Club. This club encourages students to not only make a new friendship with people they may not otherwise know. Their friendships don’t just stay within the school either; buddies are encouraged to do something on their own apart from the group.

The program is headed by Mrs. Gail Aquino followed by students Bleck Ngwafang and Jong Park to name a few, along with senior President Jaimie Metellus. Each person who is a part of Best Buddies is matched up so that someone who has a disability and someone who does not can begin to share a more in-depth relationship with one another, more than just a wave in the hallway. Mrs. Aquino stated, at the beginning of this year, that students should join the club because “it enables students to make new friendships and make a positive difference in someone’s life. This is a great opportunity to become aware of difficulties of people with disabilities.”

Best Buddies President Metellus shared how she feels about this club that opens up opportunities for the able and disabled in our school community. Metellus is buddies with Shelay Myers. Metellus revealed, “My favorite part about Best Buddies is establishing a one-on-one relationship with my buddy and learning to accept her and look at her not because of her disability but for her abilities.” Metellus and Myers talk on the phone, go to the mall, the movies, and sometimes have lunch together; they do things normal friends would do, so it’s no different. Another student at Paint Branch senior Sarah Blanchard became involved in Best Buddies in 12th grade. Her buddy this year is Erin Connelly, and they get together Mondays at lunch and talk on the phone a few nights a week.

Students of Paint Branch who are in Best Buddies meet a couple of times a month in order to discuss and plan upcoming events both for the group and for the individual pairs. Planning meetings are held in A104 and, for more information, you can talk to Mrs. Aquino and learn how to make a difference in someone’s life and even your own.