By Lou Ponsi

The mission of Best Buddies International is to build a global volunteer movement, fostering one-to-one friendships, employment opportunities, leadership skills, and overall inclusion for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Students in the Dana Hills High School Best Buddies program have embraced the mission with passion.

The Dana Hills Best Buddies chapter was recently recognized for enlisting 100 percent participation from its members to participate Best Buddies Friendship Walk, the leading walk in the nation supporting inclusion for people with development and intellectual disabilities.

All 42 general education students in Dana Hills Best Buddies, along with their buddies – about 90 total – signed up for the walk, which took place April 23 in Long Beach. For their effort, Dana Hills Best Buddies members served as grand marshals for the walk. Representatives from the Best Buddies Southern California Region also threw a pizza party for the Dana Hills group.

“I just think that it is very telling of the culture here at Dana Hills, the acceptance, inclusion,” Assistant Principal Luci Coppola said. “This is another way to recognize the hard, hard work our students do.”

Dana Hills seniors Kate Van Hoomissen and Elle Burnight, who are co-presidents of the school’s Best Buddies program, led the effort to sign up as many participants as possible.

“It’s super exciting,” said Van Hoomissen, who has been a member of Best Buddies all four years of high school. “Elle and I have worked hard this year to build up Best Buddies especially after (the pandemic). So, it’s a great recognition to build our platform so hopefully next year more people can join our club.”

Burnight has also been involved with Best Buddies since her freshman year. Volunteering with individuals with special needs has always been a passion, Burnight said.

“We’re super, super happy and it just feels like the work we have done has paid off,” she said. “It’s just really nice to see everyone happy because of the efforts they have put in.”

Both Burnight and Van Hoomissen plan to pursue careers that involve interaction with the special needs community.

Capistrano Unified School District high schools with Best Buddies programs include Dana Hills, Tesoro, San Juan Hills, and San Clemente. Capistrano Valley and Aliso Niguel high schools are planning to start Best Buddies chapters as well, said Best Buddies advisor Rob Harris, who teaches Structured Teaching Educating Prepared Students, commonly known as STEPS, a curriculum for special education students. The purpose of STEPS is to provide a bridge from high school graduation to the working world.

“It’s a big deal,” Harris said, “because not only are we getting friendships, but the students who agree to be leaders in our program are learning how to coordinate events and coordinate with people and learn some skills.”

Dana Hills enjoys partnerships with several businesses in the community, Harris said.

The Waldorf Astoria in Monarch Beach, Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, the Dana Point Library, the Ocean Institute, Harpoon Henry’s, The Marina at Dana Point, Coffee Importers, El Torito, Ralph’s and Yogurt Land are among the local businesses that provide in-kind support, gift cards, and job training to Best Buddies, Harris said.

“Everyone here is part of our community family and there is room for more,” Harris said.

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