Haverford HS Student Organization Receives Statewide Award

The Haverford Township Board of School Directors lauded the Best Buddies Chapter on Thursday night for being recognized as the international organization’s best chapter in the state of Pennsylvania.

Founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies International is dedicated to creating opportunities for one-on-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said Nicholas Rotoli, Haverford School District’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and secondary education.

The 2010-2011 school year was “hugely successful” for the Haverford High School Best Buddies Chapter, with more than 130 members in the club and 18 buddy pairs, Rotoli said.

With buddy pairs, students commit to keeping in contact with their buddies once a week and meeting with their buddies once a month, students and teachers from the club said.

The chapter’s activities during the past school year included “Friendship Fridays” in which members were invited to eat lunch together in a classroom, a “Thanksgiving Feast” luncheon, a pizza and bingo night, a wing eating contest which is held as an annual fundraiser, marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and participating in the first Best Buddies Walk for Awareness.

The Haverford High School Best Buddies Chapter had the prestigious honor of being nominated to apply for the National Outstanding Chapter of the Year, Rotoli said.

In July, two of the chapter’s student officers traveled to a Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana where the chapter was presented with the Chapter of the Year Award for the state of Pennsylvania, Rotoli said.

Haverford High School Chapter President Jessica Stein accepted the plaque on the chapter’s behalf and had her photo taken with Anthony Kennedy Shriver.

Later in the meeting, School Board President Denis Gray said he wanted to again thank the teachers and students involved in the Best Buddies program.

“It’s a phenomenal program …The fact that it (the Haverford chapter) was awarded best chapter in the state of Pennsylvania…says a lot about our students,” Gray said.

For the fourth year in a row, the Haverford chapter was also recognized as Chapter of the Year by the corporate office of Best Buddies in Philadelphia, Rotoli said.