Arlington County Government, VA Schools, 13 Dec 2012

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From YouTube: W-L Best Buddies Club Receives James B. Hunter Human Rights Award

Description

Washington-Lee High School's Best Buddies Club received the James B. Hunter Human Rights Award in Arlington, VA on Dec. 13, 2012. Best Buddies Club is a student driven organization that bridges the social gap between students with and without intellectual or physical disabilities by creating true friendships and the acceptance of differences. Although just two years old, the club has been named one of its best chapters by Best Buddies International. Best Buddies, founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, today has chapters in 1,500 schools across the globe. The Washington-Lee chapter holds events throughout the year that offer a safe place for everyone to enjoy the benefits of being a High School student. The James B. Hunter Human Rights Award is sponsored by the Arlington Human Rights Commission.

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The washington lee chapter of best buddies was founded in september of 2010 to bridge the social gap between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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The student-driven organization was designed to raise awareness and educate the entire student body on inclusion, respect and acceptance for all individuals.

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W l's best buddy has been in existence for just two years building a strong program that aligns with the diverse culture of the school, through promotion of general, genuine friendships and acceptance of unique differences, best buddies influence and president president presidents is evident at wnl.

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It is through great leadership, genuine participation and the priority of the students. The wl's best buddies, continues to thrive and evolve. The students plan several events throughout the school year that foster acceptance, friendship and fun from the annual harvest festival to the end of the school year. Cookout events offer a safe place for everyone to enjoy the benefits of being a high school student.

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While there are best buddies chapters in 1500 schools across the world, including several other aps schools. What the students at w l have accomplished is considered remarkable in just two short years.

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Best buddies has transformed the w l community, the chapter's success has exceeded expectations and it has been recognized as one of the top chapters in the world by best buddies international beyond the inclusion and and friendships that have been developed among its members, the best buddies w l chapters actively promoted the mission to ensure that students of all abilities are welcomed and celebrated in addition to participation in the spread. The word to end the word campaign, an international movement to encourage people to pledge to stop using the word.

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The chapter has partnered, with sports teams and other clubs to promote inclusions inclusion and acceptance.

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Other activities that wnl's best buddies chapter hosts include buddy, match parties, an after-school activity that introduces the buddies and peer buddies to each other and kicks off the first chapter event of each year.

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They host an annual life skills, spring dance, all buddies and peer buddies are invited to attend. There are monthly chapter meetings, chapter, seasonal events, where members can enjoy themed parties and there's an annual potluck dinner in which members are invited, along with their families as a meet and greet in introduction of the organization and its purpose at wnl.

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These are the young people who are having impact today, and these are the leaders who will follow. As I said earlier in jim hunter's steps tomorrow, I am proud to present to brittany miro as the president of the group, the jim hunter award. Please come.

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Hi, oh, I can't really sorry, I'm sorry. Thank you so much for this award. It really means a lot to me in the club when best buddies first started about three years ago. It was probably one of the smallest clubs in our school and no one really knew about it, but you know now: it's probably one of the biggest clubs at our school, as you can tell from everyone wearing the sweaters.

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And you know that uh that really, you know, means a lot, because it's spread throughout our whole entire school and now everyone really knows about best buddies, which is awesome, and um I would just like to thank you for nominating us for this award, and this is actually turner, our buddy director, and he would like to say a few words.

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Why the club means so much to me because I love it and I meet new friends and people.

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New people in new events, what.

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I'm the buddy director so I'll call people and email them and tell them what time.

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You help out with the club yeah.

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Put the clothes.

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Okay, so um my name is david shirzod, I'm the treasurer of the club. My best buddy kevin is right. There kevin. Can you.

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We're in the matching colored sweaters, we have matching colored sweaters everyone. um Actually, um obviously everyone knows that there's a lot of us here, but I just wanted everyone. Who's involved in best buddies, to stand up in the room and just show how how many we have here and that's not even the whole.

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Come on kevin guys come.

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Oh okay, everyone! So I just wanted to thank a few quick people. um First of all, the staff of best buddies virginia our director allison she's, so amazing. She helps us out so much uh sam and sarah over there.

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um Also, our president, uh mr robertson, he's not here at the moment, but but uh our principal principal, our principal dr robertson, he's uh he's not yeah he's awesome he's he nominated us for the award, I'm not sure where he is at the moment, but he couldn't make it he's at a conference uh also um miss mizella and miss emily. um They do they help they're. They help run the chapter and they do so much for us. um It's absolutely amazing.

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um Obviously, all our family and all our friends, because we're all one big family here we're all one big we're all one big best buddies.

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The club would also like to show all of you our best buddies cheer. So if you would like to join everyone stand up, we'll show you how to do it come on everyone get up. Let's go okay, five, six, seven, eight.

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Thank you so much. Thank you. Everyone. Thank you. So much.

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No, it's okay,.

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