Sunset Middle is home to the 2024-25 Best Buddies International Outstanding Middle School Chapter of the Year.
The school was selected out of 685 middle schools around the world. The award was announced at the Best Buddies International Leadership Conference at the end of July.
“To our students, this is an incredible achievement and such a celebration,” said SMS Best Buddies sponsor Abigail Hardage. “It shows our students that what we are doing here at Sunset is truly unique. Not everyone has a Best Buddies chapter at their school, and what we specifically have done with ours at Sunset has been inspirational and is now recognized on a global scale. This international win will not be forgotten and is something SMS will always have.”
Sunset Middle will be celebrating their achievement on Friday, August 29, at 5:30 p.m., with a special event at the school.
“Best Buddies at Sunset Middle has changed lives,” Hardage said. “Some of my students have never done activities with their peers outside of school before Best Buddies. Our Sunset community has grown in awareness and openness, which is incredible. We will continue shining a light on this program and our students because everyone deserves a friend, and Best Buddies has helped make that happen.”
Best Buddies helps individual students with and without disabilities by providing a safe, inclusive, welcoming and encouraging place for students to thrive, Hardage says.
“With Best Buddies chapter events, all students are involved in sensory friendly activities with adaptations for those who need them,” she said. “Our general education students are learning about accessibility and how to advocate for others. Our students with disabilities are learning from each experience how to positively engage with peers and are having incredible new experiences that they would not have had without this program. I believe the future is inclusive and Best Buddies is shaping our future leaders with essential skills such as empathy, communication and making sure others feel valued.”
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