Seeing the dedication and advocacy our buddy leaders have and the relationships and social skills our buddies gain is invaluable.”

Robert Carrero, Special education teacher

A student led program at Park High School (PHS) is building connections. Known as Wolfpack Buddies, the school friendship program started this year as a local chapter of global non-profit Best Buddies International.
Started as Pack of Friends before changing to Wolfpack Buddies as a way of incorporating Best Buddies into the name, it pairs students receiving special education services at Park High with peers in general education, helping build inclusion and building meaningful, one-on-one friendships. Students receiving services for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are matched with with “buddies” for the school year, with buddies studying together, attending school activities, eating lunch, studying, and hanging out together. Wolfpack Buddies also holds bi-monthly events planned by students as Peer Buddy Leaders, the most recent being a bowling alley trip. With approximately 70 members of which 25 are IDD students, the group also attends sporting events to cheer on the Thunderbolts, the district’s adaptive sports team with students from various high schools and middle schools in the district.
Approved by the building and district but not funded by either, Wolfpack Buddies is expected to be self-sufficient, holding a Bingo Night last fall that made $900 and applying for a grant to cover the costs of a recent bowling trip. With opportunities to fundraise through Best Buddies as well, Wolfpack Buddies planned a unified Winter Formal Dance and seeks opportunities to increase inclusion whenever possible.
Also affiliated with the larger Best Buddies program meanwhile is a group started this year at East Ridge High School, known as East Ridge High School Best Buddies. As for parent organization Best Buddies, a description is on their website at bestbuddies.org:
“Best Buddies Friendship programs represent one of our organization’s five key mission pillars,” it says. “These programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), offering social interactions while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded. Through their participation, people with IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, and share interests, experiences and activities that many other individuals enjoy.”
Park High Wolfpack Buddies advisor and special education teacher Robert Carrero shared more on the local program chapter.
“I serve as the advisor,” Carrero says of Wolfpack Buddies. “My role is to oversee, seek approval, and support in any way necessary. As a special education teacher for students with cognitive delays, I am able to provide significant expertise and have a direct link to the families of our I.D.D. students. The Peer Buddy Leaders (non-disabled) students drive the program. It all begins with our leadership team, which consist of six positions (see their testimonials below). They lead the rest of our Peer Buddy Leaders in planning and implementing the events with our Buddies. They also manage the 1-to-1 Peer Buddies. During the summer, the President and Vice-President attend a 4-day Best Buddies Conference at the University of Indiana. They also have the opportunity to serve on an advisory board and other events hosted by Best Buddies Minnesota.
“This club has been one of the highlights of my career as a teacher,” Carrero said. “Seeing the dedication and advocacy our buddy leaders have and the relationships and social skills our buddies gain is invaluable.”
Creating a place where differences are celebrated and camaraderie built, every group member is given a chance to belong. Wolfpack Buddies members and leaders all testify to the group’s impact on their lives:

Kroix Pearson, Wolfpack Buddies Peer Leader:
Being involved in Best Buddies has impacted my life tremendously. It has opened me up to so many new experiences and relationships I wouldn't have otherwise and given me so much more perspective and empathy that I cherish every moment. I would not have been able to develop the friendships I have without Best Buddies, as I wouldn’t normally cross paths with many of the students with IDD. Best Buddies doesn’t only operate as a club, but also as an opportunity, an opportunity to connect with a different demographic of peers, and an opportunity to change the lives of all students involved. I am ever grateful that it has given me the chance to create so many authentic bonds and friendships, and strive to create that chance for many other students. My role in the club is the secretary, where I take and organize notes for the club, as well as track member attendance.

Jeremiah Trinidad, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like being a member of Wolfpack Buddies because we get to do fun activities like bowling and having parties. A friendship I’ve made through Wolfpack Buddies is Bella, Xeng, Joseph, & Tyrus. I like the parties we throw and the friendships I’ve made.

Elliot Bird, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like the Valentine's Day event because I like spending time with Neenah and other friends. A friend I made at Wolfpack Buddies is Paige. My favorite part is being able to hangout with everyone and the activities we do.

Paige Stewart, Wolfpack Buddies Peer Leader:
Over the past 2 years my involvement with best buddies has had a big impact on me. It has allowed me to build meaningful long term relationships that go beyond the classroom and has taught me to be a stronger advocate for myself and others in many different ways. It has also helped me become more confident in who I am. Through this experience I have learned to view situation different perspectives which has strengthened my empathy, communication skills and overall personal growth.

Neenah Sachs, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like Wolfpack Buddies because I like the activities we do. I made friends through Wolfpack Buddies, their names are Isabelle and Liya. I like to hangout with my friends. One of my favorite events was making bracelets.

Katie Fuller, Wolfpack Buddies Peer Leader:
Wolfpack buddies is a club designed to bring gen ed students and special ed students together in friendship. While that sounds cheesy, it is highly important for both sides. Many gen ed students need compassion and to learn to be around and work with others who may have different abilities than themselves. Those in the special ed program need friends and to know that they belong somewhere. Wolfpack buddies as a result is exactly the club to help with both these issues. Personally, best buddies has shown the reality of many different people’s lives. It helps me to see and process the world, while giving me reason to have patience in every scenario. Many of the events that we do happen after a very long day of school and watching the kids of all grades have fun with the events, and just the joy on their faces while they are hanging out with their friends, brightens that long and tiring day. My role in the club is treasurer, I handle making sure we have the proper supplies for each event, and fundraisers for the club.

Brady Kimmes, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like to hang out with others. I have several friends in Wolfpack Buddies. My Buddy is Camilla. I love hanging out with her. Another good friend is Ainsley. I love all the parties. I also liked bowling.

Jazzmin Staffard, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like being a member of Wolfpack buddies because i get to hang out with liya like I did yesterday when we went bowling. I’ve made friends with ava, paige, and liya. The events i really like is the bowling trip, the valentines day party, the christmas party and the time we all went to the movies.

Camilla Brooks, Wolfpack Buddies Peer Leader:
I’ve been involved with this club since 2023, and being able to watch how it impacts others and feel the impact personally has become such a huge, crucial part of my life. We plan tons of different events and activities accessible to all students and all ability levels for our members to participate in, including making friendship bracelets, scavenger hunts, painting easter eggs, bowling, bingo, lots of crafts, and so much more. The people I have met in this club have become some of the core people in my life and have showed me how it feels to, truly, be mutually valued and appreciated. I have been able to start so many new friendships such as with my buddy, Brady, as well as rekindle long lasting friendships like Quinn and I who drifted apart years ago but have been brought back together through Wolfpack buddies. Becoming so involved with wolfpack buddies not only has made me more empathetic, understanding, and accepting towards others, but also towards myself in many ways. Creating a space where anyone can come to unwind, have fun, and be themselves is such a rewarding feeling and experience and I am beyond grateful to have played a part in it. This club has become more than just an extracurricular for me, but a safe space and a community. I have seen Wolfpack buddies bring out the best in so many different students, both those with and without disabilities. I have learned so much about myself, others, leadership, and inclusion and I will continue to carry all of the things i have learned through the rest of my life, hopefully, while still being involved in best buddies in some manner.

Kennat Navarrete, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like Wolfpack Buddies because the events are fun, and they have a lot of choices. I made some friends. I enjoy hanging out with different kinds of people.

Kalabe Tobe, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like being in Wolfpack Buddies because we get to have parties where I can see my friends. My favorite party was the Thanksgiving party because we ate food, potatoes and turkey. I ate my lunch with my buddy, Kai. My friends in Wolfpack Buddies are Kai, Jeremiah, Finley, Mickey, Jazzy, Ben, Jacob, John, Barnabas and Landon. We like to decorate Christmas cookies, decorate for parties, eat cookies, and create Valentine’s cookies. I saw my picture for the state tournament for soccer with Ms. Eastman and Ms. Tina. I like the decorations at the party. I like to decorate the cookies and eat them. I like to talk to my buddy, Kai. I talked about my floor hockey games and then I talked about what they are playing.

Michael Siebolds, Wolfpack Buddies Member:
I like best buddies because I get to see my buddy Tyler and Talk to my friends. My buddy’s name is Tyler and he is a good buddy and friend. I got to hangout with Tyler on a weekend and went to Mcdonalds for a lunch. Tyler recently went to Italy so I got to talk to him about his trip to Italy. Tyler is also on the swim team and he is reaching the end of it. Tyler is a freshman but some people think he looks like a Junior or a Senior. We went Bowling yesterday and it was fun. We got a few strikes and Spairs and got some good french fries.

Liya Bekele, Wolfpack Buddies Peer Leader:
Being a part of Wolfpack Buddies for the past two years has had such a positive impact on my life. I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet many students who I wouldn’t normally see during a school day, and I’m beyond grateful for all the genuine friendships I’ve built. For example my buddy Jazzmin, she always brings so much positive energy into a room and I love getting to spend time with her at every event, our friendship is something I will always treasure. One of my favorite memories with Wolfpack Buddies was our Unified Dance. Getting to see students both with and without IDD come together on the dance floor and have such a great time showed me how Wolfpack Buddies is more than just one-to-one friendships but a whole community that exemplifies inclusion, that I am so proud to be a part of!

Carrero shared more on what’s ahead for the group moving forward.
“Next week, we are conducting building-wide activities as part of a campaign to spread awareness and action for a more inclusive society for people with disabilities,” he said. As for upcoming events this spring there is the Best Buddies Friendship Ball in April, an annual dance hosted by Best Buddies Minnesota for school chapter participants.
With new members welcome through the school year, Wolfpack Buddies is a way to build connections at Park High!