There’s Excellence in Everyone!Pete PetersonDecember 13, 2017

Christopher Charles Xavier De La Rosa Michael Cole

Ja’Mariyus Pringle Diane Mewes MaryBeth Bridges

The Young Men of Excellence have long awaited to partner with the Best Buddies program at Lake Howell High School and were enthusiastic about writing greeting cards for the IDD community for the holidays! Once Mr. Peterson explained that Excellence is in Everyone, and that no one should be devalued or made to feel small, and that the mission of the two programs complement each other like candles on a cake; their malleable heartstrings became as sweet as butter crumb icing. In addition, they were able to put their cell phones and consuming digital devices down long enough to practice the old-fashion, nostalgic art form of creative writing as expressed in a simple greeting card! How Beautiful is that! We are forever grateful to MaryBeth Bridges and Diane Mewes, club sponsors, for this wonderful opportunity to teach our future leaders that service and humility, the softer and often unappreciated skills, are still character traits worth emulating!

For readers unaware, Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities. To note: Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with IDD. It helps individuals within this community form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communications skills, and feel valued by society.