Lehigh Senior High Named Best Buddies International Outstanding High School of the Year

The School District of Lee County is excited to announce that Lehigh Senior High School has been named the Outstanding High School of the year by Best Buddies International. Lehigh Senior was chosen for the award from the 1,400 high school Best Buddies chapters nationwide.

“I couldn't be more proud of the officers and members of our Lehigh Senior High School Best Buddies club for the impact they are making,” says Lehigh Senior’s Faculty Advisor Michelle Smith. “It is very important to them to make purposeful friendships, spread inclusion and impact the community through service projects. I am honored to work with these students and to know they are our future.”

The Best Buddies chapter at Lehigh Senior High meets twice a month. One meeting is a social event and the other a service project. Projects have included a campus clean-up as a scavenger hunt with awards for the group that collected the most; baking over 200 cookies to honor teachers and school staff; making dog toys for an animal shelter; and making cards for the military. Members of the club reach out to other classes and organizations to promote inclusion for people with disabilities and attend sporting events together in support of the school’s athletes. One buddy pair joined Unified E-sports together, attending the Special Olympics Summit, all because of their bond made in Best Buddies.

“Lehigh Senior High has done an exceptional job this year recruiting new members and spreading the Best Buddies mission throughout their campus and community,” says Best Buddies Program Manager Molly Morrina. “By representing Southwest Florida at Legislative Day to Ambassador training and dessert and learn, they deserve the prestigious award of Outstanding High School Chapter of the Year.”

Best Buddies International was founded by Anthony K. Shriver to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, inclusive living and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), Best Buddies matches a general education student with a student who has a disability in a one-to-one friendship. Their goal is to be positive role models to the rest of the school, encouraging others to step up and give back.