Circle of Friends Helps Ankeny Students Learn Social Skills, Compassion

junior Nick Eilers got to get his groove on Saturday night with good friends and a lot of good music.

Eilers was one of many students who attended the Friendship Dance at the Saturday. It was one of many events held by Circle of Friends, a social group formed at the high school to help students form lasting relationships and learn valuable social skills.

Eilers has been in Circle of Friends for two years. He loves it, and he loved going to the Friendship Dance for special needs students and peer helpers.

“You get to see all your good friends,” he said. “The dance has delicious food and crafts and music.” 

Circle of Friends got its start in 1994 by special education teacher Judy Overton. It has been run by various special education teachers over the years and is now supervised by Jessica Dagel and fellow instructors Jason Dagel, Kim Ehlinger and Bethany Crouch.

This is the eighth year Dagel has been involved with Circle of Friends. She said making sure the group runs smoothly is very much a team effort between her and the other instructors.

Most years, anywhere from 100 to 150 Ankeny High School students participate in Circle of Friends. The funds the group mainly through donations.

Group Open to All Ankeny High Students

Circle of Friends organizes events and outings throughout the year, which are open to any student at the high school. The group doesn’t hold meetings during school hours and all events are held outside of school.

Most recently, Circle of Friends held the annual Friendship Dance. The event was an invitation-only event open to special needs students and peer helpers. 

The dance was held at the Lakeside Center. The Ankeny Parks and Recreation Department donated the use of the building to the group, Dagel said, and students got to enjoy crafts, cookies and dancing.

The Friendship Dance also reaches out to include middle school students, as well as those in high school.

“We needed to do something to involve the younger kids,” Dagel said. “Our goal is to have students in grades 6-9 learn about the club so they’ll feel more comfortable with it when they make that transition to high school.”

Helping Others Feels Good

Sophomore Haley Honeck attended the dance this year. This is her first year in Circle of Friends, although she said she’s always been involved in service activities where she gets a chance to help others.

Honeck said she plans to be involved in many more Circle of Friends activities. She’s also hoping to earn a Silver Cord Award for volunteering.

“When I’m helping others, it makes me feel good, too,” Honeck said.

The Friendship Dance isn’t the only social event Circle of Friends members get to enjoy. The group also holds pizza parties and participates in laser tag, roller-skating, hockey games, movie nights, picnics and more.

Each May, the entire group goes to Adventureland. Students can attend each event at little or no cost to them, Dagel said.

Eilers said some of his best memories from Circle of Friends include playing laser tag and going to Pump it Up. He also remembers going to a corn maze.

“It was a challenge, but I like challenges,” he said.

Students Get to Know a Broader Group

Circle of Friends is unique because it offers students a chance to form relationships with numerous people.

“A lot of larger schools have a Best Buddies program, where students are paired one-on-one,” Dagel said. “Ours is just a big group, everyone gets to know everyone else.” 

It also helps students experience fun things they might not get to do anywhere else.

“Some might not have the means to do these things outside of school,” Dagel said. “This gives them the opportunity to try new things.”

In addition to new experiences, students learn how to appropriately interact with their peers in a social setting, Dagel said. Peer helpers who participate also learn patience, compassion and understanding. 

“I’ve seen some peer helpers go on to have careers as teachers or work in special education,” Dagel said. “They make a profession out of it.”

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