Best Buddies at Sydenham High School

Apr 21, 2011

Photo: Sam McKay, Siobhan Weatherby, Beth Lyons, Nicola Edward and Chris Henderson

Having a buddy in high school can often make for cherished life-long memories and it is for that reason that Chris Henderson, an educational assistant at Sydenham High school, introduced the “Best Buddies” program there three years ago.

Best Buddies is a national charitable organization dedicated to “enhancing our communities through developing one to one friendships between individuals with intellectual disabilities and other students in the schools. "The program is grounded in the belief that friendships are important in the development of all individuals and are a medium through which they can become part of the community,” Chris Henderson said.

She says that the program has been slowly evolving over the last three years and encourages School to Community students “to develop friendships outside of theír regular classrooms and enables them to better integrate into the regular stream of the school. It‘s all about positive integration and friendship is one of the best ways to allow for that integration to occur.”

Sydenham was the first school in the Limestone district School Board to adopt the program and Henderson recalled “being hooked” three years ago when a Best Buddies supervisor gave a presentation at the school.

What makes a good buddy? “Dependability by far is the most important thing, along with a willingness to take the necessary time“, Chris said. Buddies are required to make contact with the student they are paired with at least once a week and the goal is to develop a socially appropriate and mutually enriching relationship. Many of the Buddies are also peer tutors in the School to Community classrooms. Because of the tutor relationship, Buddies spend ample time together doing school work but they also share lunches, celebrate festive dinners at Easter and Christmas at the school and participate in other school activities. Grade 12 student Paul Allison and School to Community student Tyler MacComish are buddies this year. Tyler enjoys the program and says the time he gets to spend with Paul is "really great." Tyler is also the advocate for the program and will be traveling to Ottawa in September to be part of the Best Buddies annual conference.

For Paul the program is equally as rewarding. "I enjoy the fact that I'm able to give opportunities to another student in the school and it’s rewarding to feel that you are making a difference the life of that student." One of the things that might stop other students from getting involved is a feeling that with academics and other extra-curricular activities, they do not have the time to participate in the program. However, Paul stresses that "Any time that you can give is well worth it and will make a difference."

Another challenging aspect of the program is the funding, which comes solely from school fundraising efforts. Henderson and her team raised some money at the school’s annual fashion show, where cupcakes baked by the buddies were sold during intermission. She says, “The bottom line is that it’s expensive to do any social activities outside the school especially because of transportation costs. We do our best to try to raise the funds to allow the students to get out and enjoy certain social activities together. Ideally we‘d love to have regular outings at least once a month, but funding limits that.”

Last year the students traveled to Toronto to see a Blue Jays game and this year funds are being raised to attend a Toronto production of the Lion King. Planned fundraisers for the rest of this school year will include regular weekly barbeques once the weather warms up. Volunteers will also be selling tickets for a school-wide raffle that will take place on May 16 and which offers a number of prizes including two tickets, hotel accommodations and Via rail transportation to a Tragically Hip show in Toronto; a golf package at the Rivendell Golf Course in Verona; Cineplex movie tickets; and a $100 gift certificate to the Keg.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Best Buddies program or in making a donation can contact Chris Henderson at the school at 613-376-3612.