A Note from Josh Myles, Durango High School Chapter President

Best Buddies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver. Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original college chapter to more than 1,400 college, high school, and middle school campuses across the globe. The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies Nevada opened its doors in July of 2008. Best Buddies was introduced to me in May 2009 during AVID class and I signed up for the President’s position. In July 2009, I was on a plane to Indiana to my first Best Buddies Leadership Conference and it changed my life completely. I understood what my position meant, what Best Buddies mission is about and the lives I was impacting. Once the school year started we passionately began our efforts building Best Buddies Durango determined to have a successful launch. With Layla Rouas as Vice President, Louise Palacios as Secretary, Borjana Djukic as Historian and Arianna Villobos as Publicist, Best Buddies Durango accomplished so much from doing fundraisers to having many successful friendships matched to being the #1 chapter in Nevada. As Lead Chapter President for Best Buddies Nevada’s High Schools Program, I meet with Chapter Presidents on a monthly basis and discuss events and problems within our chapters while managing the Durango Best Buddies movement.

In addition to the above, we held the “Spread the Word to End the Word” Campaign on March 3 on the school campus during lunches. This campaign is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics and Best Buddies to support and raise the awareness about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and encourage people to pledge to stop using this word. Durango High School and other high schools in Nevada hosted an R-word table. Best Buddies Durango received over 300 signatures from teachers, administrators and students who pledged not to use the R-word. It shows just how much Best Buddies has an impact on students with and without disabilities.

Today, our movement is as strong as ever and I invite you to join us as we change this world one friendship at a time.

-- Josh Myles
Durango High School Chapter President & Lead Chapter President for Best Buddies Nevada's High School Program