WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School chapter of Best Buddies held their tenth annual prom on Saturday night in the cafeteria. Approximately 75 members, volunteers, alumni and friends came to the luau-themed event.
“The kids really look forward to it,” said club advisor Carolyn Busiere, who teaches special education at the high school.
Barb Lavoie and Carolyn Busiere (Photo by Amy Porter)
Best Buddies is a non-profit organization that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
At WHS, Best Buddies provides the students with the opportunities to establish friendships through meetings, community outings and special events. Busiere said there are 40 members in the club, and seven matched peer buddies.
“Most of all, it contributes to creating a culture of acceptance, respect and inclusion at WHS. The students are amazing and inspiring,” Busiere said.
Her club co-advisor for ten years was school nurse Barb Lavoie, who transferred this year to Highland elementary school, but stays involved and was at the prom.
“There’s a ton of alumni here,” said Lavoie.
“It’s like a reunion,” Busiere added. She said both peers and buddies that have graduated come back to attend the event.
Best Buddies WHS chapter president is Julia Busiere, Carolyn’s daughter. Julia said due to her mother’s role in the club, she’s been to every Best Buddies prom since she was seven years old.
“This is my last one as a senior and one of the biggest we’ve had,” said Julia, who will be attending the University of New England for pharmacy next year. Her friend Neil Sheehan, who volunteers at club events, said she did a very good job of advertising it on her twitter account.
Best Buddies pair Tina Masso and Julia Barouxis were also celebrating their year of activities together at the prom. Barouxis, who is also a chapter officer, will be attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the fall.
Best Buddies Tina Masso and Julia Barouxis (Photo by Amy Porter)
“I love it,” said Masso. Barouxis said they have been apple-picking, caroling and going to monthly club meetings together. They also spend time at Friendly’s, Masso’s favorite restaurant, she said.
Amanda Dalton and her nurse, Barbara Goshea were also enjoying themselves at the prom. Goshea, who accompanies Dalton at school, said they participate in all of the Best Buddies events together.
Providing the meal for the prom was family consumer science teacher Margaret Toomey’s culinary arts class. Toomey said the class, which is an elective at the high school, does all the catering for school events, including the senior pasta dinner, the science fair, and the upcoming teacher appreciation week. In addition to her students, WHS social studies teacher Rich Gomez and Westfield Technical Academy’s physical education teacher Karen Gomez volunteered their help on Saturday.
WHS principal Dennis Duquette stopped by at the prom with South Middle School developmental learning teacher Donna Bourbeau and Jake the dog, who is a great favorite with the club. Duquette and Jake had just come from a long day that started with an outdoor clean-up at the high school, in which eleven students participated, and also a Lacrosse game, which he said they lost in double overtime.
After enjoying their meal, prom goers hit the dance floor to the music of DJ Juan of 4Life Entertainment, run by Lavoie’s son Spencer Lavoie.
Many of the students at the prom had spent the day in Look Park at the Best Buddies Friendship Walk for participating high schools in Western Mass. The walk raises money to send students to the Best Buddies Leadership Conference at Indiana University in July. WHS will be sending two students to the conference this summer.
“It’s an opportunity for students to connect with other student leaders from Best Buddies around the world, who share the same vision for inclusion,” Busiere said.
