Best Buddies director Kendall Schindler initially believed, in 2019, that her mother was crazy for wanting to start a Best Buddies club. However, it soon became the biggest club in Floyd Central High School, with 92 members in its first year.
And it keeps getting larger, with 137 members for the 2024-25 school year, the largest year so far.
Best Buddies holds events about once a month for its members to do activities, hang out, and get to know each other.
Schindler said she learned many leadership skills in Best Buddies, which she uses in her job today. Her brother, Brayden Schindler, wanted her to be a leader within the club and to help it grow.
Schindler said that her experience has been excellent and that she’s loved all her roles, both being a member and being an advisor. She always looks forward to Friendsgiving and the match party and enjoys watching the leaders improve throughout the year.
Schindler also believes that there’s one thing that could be improved: “Time commitment from everyone. We have a lot of members who sign up and kind of fall off throughout the year. I’d love to see there be more commitment to the club.”
Schindler believes that Best Buddies has had a big impact on the school and that it helps bring people together. She says that the message of inclusion at Best Buddies has reached beyond just FC’s halls.
“We’ve already seen it spread into our community, especially during our friendship walk,” said Kendall. “Whenever we ask for donations, we’ll do fun things like egging people to get more people aware of it.”
Because Schinlder has been involved in Best Buddies for so long, there are a couple things she’d like to change. “I would say I would love to get more facilitators in it”, she said. ”I think that’s the one thing we’ve been missing. But I noticed it’s something a lot of schools miss. Trying to get more of the student body in it as well. Maybe they’re not just a member, but they come to one or two events throughout the year.”
Junior Emma Hulen, a student who is a Best Buddies leader, has previously attended many Best Buddies events with her older sister. This is her third year at Best Buddies, but her first year as a leader of the club.
“So I am the vice president this year, and the vice president just kind of helps plan activities and kind of oversee and make sure all the groups are working well together, and help fundraising and things like that.” She is happy to be a part of Best Buddies, due to how it promotes inclusion.
Hulen said that her experience in Best Buddies has been very good, and she enjoys hanging out with her friends and seeing the friendships develop.
“This year, I’m really excited for our talent show because we’re going to make it really big and involve different schools and organizations. I also like the match parties every year.” Hulen has fun with all the activities, especially painting pumpkins and making Christmas cookies. Her favorite activity is the friendship walk.
Hulen believes that Best Buddies is succeeding at bringing people together.
“I think it is [successful] this year. We hit the highest number of members in the club. And I think each year you see how strong the friendships are in the club and how it brings everyone together.” Hulen said that they want to improve their fundraising this year and also build the responsibilities of the Best Buddies members.
Senior Naveah Smith, a student in Best Buddies, says that she joined Best Buddies for the first time this year.
“I had a lot of friends there that just said that it was a really fun thing. I was just looking for more ways to get involved at school.”
Best Buddies has had a very positive impact on Smith. ”I’ve made a lot of new friends, and I have a new appreciation for inclusion. I’m really excited to just see what the club entails and the activities that we do.”
Senior Ava Kreutzer, another student in Best Buddies, said that she joined because she believes in including everyone and that everyone is equal. She has no leadership role but is one of the club’s many members. She said that she has become much less judgemental in Best Buddies, despite how American society can be very judgemental. So far, she has loved Best Buddies and everyone in it.
“Most people are new, and so I really like that. I get to meet new people and have new experiences,” said Kreutzer. “My favorite part is meeting new people and getting to hang out with people that I wouldn’t normally choose to hang out with. I would say meeting new people and getting to understand the uniqueness between each and every person [is my favorite part].”
As a newer club member, Kreutzer already sees the club as making a positive impact this year. “Definitely, I think it is [successful]. It’s a very interesting experience that most people don’t get to have. I think it’s very successful in uniting all teens as a whole, and not just grouping them into social classes.”
Senior Olivia Sueling, a student in Best Buddies, said, “I originally joined Best Buddies because of my brothers Nick and Max. They both have Down Syndrome. But now it’s more like I really enjoy it. I love meeting everyone. I have a good time with everyone and try to include everyone.”
Now in her second year, Sueling is the buddy coordinator. She ensures that the buddy groups meet and cooperate and also talks with parents. Best Buddies helped Sueling be more inclusive. “It just showed me that you can always find a way to include someone. Even if you have differences.”
What Seuling looks forward to most in Best Buddies is the friendship walk and the Christmas party. She also likes making bracelets and meeting good people in Best Buddies. “Just participation [could be improved]. As we go throughout the year, participation usually drops out a bit. If we keep that up throughout the year, that would be good.”
Best Buddies has been very popular and influential in the school. It has been instrumental in building friendships and spreading its message of inclusion.