NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWNS TO HELP
OTHERS SUCCEED.
IT’S JUST PAST NOON AT JOHN
STARK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.
INSIDE ONE CLASSRO, LESSONS
ARE A TWO WAY STREET.
>> I USED TO ALWAYS BE THE GUY
THAT WAS LIKE, I NEED A SET PLAN
OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO
HAPPEN, SO HE HAS TAUGHT ME TO
BE LAID-BACK.
MIKE C: CJ IS THE STUDENT LEADER
FOR BEST BUDDIES, A PROGRAM THAT
ALLOWS KIDS WITH DISABILITIES TO
ENGAGE WITH THEIR PEERS.
CJ’S BEST BUDDY FOR THE LAST
YEAR IS EVAN.
>> YOU WANT TO SAY HI TO THE
LUNCH LADIES?
MIKE C: PRIOR TO BEST BUDDIES,
EVAN’S MOTHER SAYS HE HAD
TROUBLE CONNECTING WITH FELLOW
STUDENTS.
NOW, HE’S FINDING COMMON GROUND.
>> SEEING HIM CONNECTING IS
HUGE.
IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS OF THE
THINGS AS A MOTHER YOU COULD NOT
BE HAPPIER ABOUT.
MIKE C: BEST BUDDIES HAS MADE A
SEISMIC SHIFT IN THE SCHOOL
CULTURE.
CJ STARTED A PETITION TO GET RID
OF THE R-WORD.
HIS GOAL WAS TO HAVE PLEDGES
FROM HALF OF THE SCHOOL’S 700
STUDENTS.
HE COLLECTED 351 SIGNATURES.
>> THESE KIDS ARE PART OF OUR
COMMUNITY AND I THINK KIDS WERE
HAPPY TO THE ORGANIZING GET
INVOLVED.
MIKE C: NOW THEY HAVE EACH OTHER
IN THEIR LIVES AND NEITHER CAN
SEE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
>> I LIKE ALL OF IT.
>> IT REALLY HELP ME TO FULLY
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
INCLUSIVE.
IF I DID NOT HAVE HIM AROUND,
SOMETHING WOULD BE MISSING.
MIKE C: THE BEST BUDDIES PROGRAM
IS LESS THAN THE-YEAR-OLD GOOD
ITS VOLUNTEE
