If you walk by the middle school ASB room on a Thursday during lunch, you might lose your hearing.  Music blasts out of the room- usually songs like “Cha Cha Slide” and “Who Let the Dogs Out”- and combines with the voices of at least 50 students, aides, and teachers talking, dancing, and laughing.  This is the Best Buddies club, where  students are paired up with a student from the special education program here at CdM. They spend their Thursday lunch together, catching up on the previous week and playing games.

Students range from 12th grade to 7th grade, but most volunteers are in high school.  Senior Courtney Davidson is president of the club. “I only started last year, but I fell in love with it and wanted to be more involved than just being a buddy,” said Davidson.  ”I’m in this club because I have always felt sympathy for the special needs kids who get pushed aside in high school.  This was the perfect opportunity to offer my friendship to them and help others do the same.  I am happy that I can give back to them in an easy and fun way.”

Advisor Nicole Fusaro has been with the club for three years, alongside Mrs. Tammy Smith-Ono.  “[One of my favorite parts is] watching our high school guys with their buddies- they play catch with them, games with them, they clean their buddies hands and face after they have eaten.  It’s really inspiring to watch,” said Fusaro.  “For some [buddies], these are their only friends.

Best Buddies is an international group, spanning over 30 countries from Scotland to Curaçao.  Each of the 1,400 chapters in various high schools, middle schools, and colleges is dedicated to making friendships, integrated employment, and leadership developtment for people with disabilities, either mental or physical.

In 1989, Anthony K. Shriver founded Best Buddies, intent on forming one on one relationships.  ”As president, I assign buddies to people based on their compatibility and similarities with the child,” said Davidson.

Best Buddies High School has only been in effect since 1993, but it’s grown across the globe, and here at CdM.   “I decided to become the advisor when I saw the club four years ago hanging out by the pool,” said Fusaro. 

Deciding to make the club more mainstreamed, she brought the club to the middle of the campus, hoping to get more involvement.  “Four years [ago] we had 10-15 buddies and 60-70 peers.  This year we have over 60 buddies and 150 peers.”

  ”My favorite part would have to be our meetings,” said Davidson.  ”Everyone in the club comes to them and we all hang out.  We have music, and the buddies dance, and it’s just really fun.  To see how much just showing up and saying hi can effect them is really touching.”

This year, CdM has big plans for the club.  Besides a bowling day and a possible upcoming movie night, CdM is planning on participating the the Festival of Friendship, a carnival-esque event that hosts branches from all over Orange County.  Each branch mans a booth to raise money for the organization.  ”I will be helping to plan the festival,” said Davidson.  ”We will be having professional athletes and other public figures come to sign autographs for those who attend.” 

“I think this program is one of the best on campus because not only does it change the buddies lives, but it changes the peer’s lives.  The kids are some of the kindest and most open people I have eve r met, and I feel like they have changed my life more than we could ever change theirs,” said Davidson.

Fusaro agrees.  “The program benefits both the buddy and the peer.  For the buddy, they are so excited to have that special friend who comes and spends time with them on Thursdays during lunch.  For the peer, I believe they get so much out of it.  They get to see the excitement and smile on the faces of their buddies after a simple high five or after they have spent time with them.  It’s an amazing program that touches everyone who is a part of it.”

So the next time you have a free Thursday, stop by the Middle School ASB room (room #333) and join one of the best clubs on campus.

For many when hearing the club name Invisible Children may spark memories of fundraising parties thrown by fellow schools in Orange County, like Newport Harbor, or even local college Champman. However, now that Invisible Children club has begun at CdM the cause calls more attention to the club than just a club that throws parties. Invisible Children aims to rescue all Ugandan children afflicted by Joseph Kony and his rebel army, where thousands of children are too commonly abducted into a life of horrific deeds.

Invisible Children Presidents and Officers at CdM

Since 1850 Uganda has struggled with its political identity and establishing a stable government. After becoming an independent nation free of Great Britain’s colonial rule, dispute arose over how the country would be governed and by whom. Seperated by distance as well as cultural customs and social statuses, Northern Uganda and Southern Uganda began the fight for control of their country. The fight over Uganda has become Africa’s longest war and still presently holds that title.

During the course of the fight rebel groups emerged, wanting radical change and by radical means. A prominent rebel group that emerged was the Lord’s Resisance Army or L.R.A. Led by Joseph Kony ,the L.R.A. once enjoyed some genuine popularity from Northern Ugandan peoples. However, as the years went on Kony’s means to achieve control over Uganda became more hostile, resulting in the loss of his popularity. Out of spite because of the loss of many of his followers Kony began committing more and more brutalities against his fellow people in Uganda. He began capturing Ugandan children to fight for him for the L.R.A and presently over 30,000 Ugandan children fight for the L.R.A. , making up 90% of the army’s force.

Bringing Uganda more social unrest than seemed possible, Kony and his rebel army will stop at nothing to terrorize Uganda. Desperate for peace, Uganda has scheduled multiple peace conferences with Kony and L.R.A. officials, every time hearing false promises for peace from the L.R.A. The most recent conference dates to 2008 but there have also been conferences in 1991, 1994, 2001, 2005 and 2008.

Invisible Children has provided hundreds of scholarships to Ugandan children at risk at becoming involved in Kony’s army. They have also provided brand new schools as well as rebuilt schools that have become worn down. Invisible Children helps children at risk of becoming abducted into Kony’s army because of all those that suffer because of  Uganda’s ongoing war, Ugandan children are suffer the most. Invisible because a Ugandan child is abducted,made invisible to his family and community and becomes invisible as a youth forced into a world of weapons and brutal killings.