Inclusion, education, and equality, that is what Best Buddies club stands for. This program has recently been introduced to Liberty with the goal of making opportunities for meaningful friendships, employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). And these disabilities include but are not limited to Down Syndrome, Autism, Fragile X, Williams Syndrome, and other diagnosed disabilities. But overall, Best Buddies wants to spread their message of equality and inclusivity and help students find community.
Bobbi Ferrell, the sponsor of this program and Culinary Arts Instructor at LHS and FCCLA adviser, explained how this club came to fruition.
“This club was just established and we’ve been holding meetings throughout the school year to decide on our leaders and the logistics of our first meeting,” Ferrell said. “We also had to learn what the mission was all about, how to put the word out, and prepare for our many participants.”
What’s more is that Avery Queen (12), a leader of this club, further articulated what Best Buddies intends to achieve.
“The mission behind this club is to have a place where everyone can feel included and find friends,” Queen said.
Best Buddies club also wants to make it a point that people with disabilities should be seen as people and not treated as less than because with or without disabilities we are all human. And that is what this club wants to do, they want people to be able to see that once you peel back the layers of what we might be able to do or what makes us different, at the heart of it we are all human. And we all, subsequently, crave community and human connection.
But the fact of the matter is that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are isolated and the Best Buddies club is working to change that. In fact, according to Best Buddies International, they are the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with IDD.
Additionally, Queen made a connection with this club and broader issues, and further indicated why she chose to be a part of this club.
“I chose to join this club because I always want people to feel open and welcome, especially at hard places like school. So, being there for people who might need someone to talk to is important to me,” Queen said.
Mrs. Ferrell also expressed why she chose to sponsor Best Buddies club.
“I’ve always had a passion for people to find a place where they are valued and welcomed,” Ferrell said. “We all need a friend and Best Buddies is for all people to find a place to belong. Student-leaders run this club and plan fun activities for their classmates with and without disabilities to come together and enjoy one another’s company. I love seeing the compassion and smiles that are shared.”
Moreover, the Best Buddies club is not stopping at just one school. They are going on even further to change maybe even the world and show us a more compassionate and humane way of thinking.
Queen conveyed how this platform can be used to make a difference as well and why it’s so important.
This club is important to me because I feel as if so many people in high school struggle with finding friends or having a community here, so knowing I can make a difference for people is something I want to do,” Queen said.
Lastly, the leaders and student officers of Best Buddies club will be visiting a Leadership Conference on July 17-20, 2026 and if a student wants to attend, it is $400 per person.
Furthermore, Queen wanted to add some general information about Best Buddies club and some important upcoming dates as of Dec. 8.
“I would like to add that our first meeting is Dec. 10th in Mrs. Middendorf’s room. We will have a hot cocoa bar and make crafts to kick off our first meeting for this club,” Queen said.
