After watching her younger cousin grow up with a rare brain defect, Lily Warren wanted to help expand social opportunities for students with disabilities at Munster High School.
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As a longtime member of Best Buddies — a Miami-based nonprofit that aims to foster friendships between students with disabilities with their peers — she had been touched by the ones she formed with two students at her school.
But, after attending a state conference for its student leaders last summer, Warren decided that those students might benefit from greater exposure to other clubs at her school.
“It occurred to me at Munster, we aren’t as inclusive as we should be,” said Warren, 17. “I wanted to be part of something at my school that would foster a better environment.”
On Jan. 17, she helped organized Munster’s first Best Buddies Bowl — a community event featuring concessions, face painting and two flag football games between club members — with and without disabilities — and members from the Munster High School football team.
Students from school organizations, including its art, business, French and robotics clubs also attended with information on how to join. Warren said she hoped it would be an annual event.
About 150 people attended the event, she said. Admission was $3; proceeds will go to help members attend future leadership conferences.
Established in 2002, the Best Buddies Indiana program now has 90 youth chapters statewide including 40 in high schools — with local chapters also at Crown Point, Griffith and Lake Central High Schools, said Program Manager Jessica Glaze.
The number of students in special education at Munster High School has dipped slightly over the last decade, according to state figures. There were 135 students in special education (9 percent of the high school) in 2016 compared to 149 (9.8 percent) in 2006.
Since the school’s Best Buddies chapter was established about seven years ago, special education teacher Brent Barton said he has noticed anecdotal changes in how some kids were treated in the hallways.
“People are high-fiving them, people are having conversations with them,” he said. “That never would have happened 10 years ago.”
The club currently has about 80 members, he said. Currently, about 20 students are matched up with a student with disabilities for a peer mentorship.
“I think it benefits the student without disabilities sees what it’s like to experience life if they are challenged in some way,” Barton said. “It opens their eyes a lot to what a student might have to go through.”
Twitter: @meredithcolias