By Sarah Ball and Elizabeth Hinton

Staff Writers

Walpole High School Best Buddies hosted their annual Halloween dance on Oct. 27. Students came in costume to participate in various games, contests and dancing. Kerry Donlan, a teacher at Walpole High School, has advised Best Buddies for five years.

“Best Buddies is a great program that brings together students with disabilities and students without disabilities and helps them to form friendships,” Donlan said.

The Halloween celebration was the group’s first event of the year to help bring together the students of Walpole High School. Donlan and fellow teacher Kellie Robinson, along with several students, were a huge part of planning and organizing this successful night. One of those students is Best Buddies Vice President Evelyn Abbott, a junior at Walpole High School, who helped prepare by going out to buy decorations and candy for the dance. Abbott, who started doing Best Buddies freshmen year, said that this organization helped her meet many new people and also went on to affect not only her high school career but the rest of her life.

“Best Buddies helped me realize that I want to be a special education teacher when I’m older.” Abbott said.

At the dance, the students danced to Halloween music, enjoyed candy and participated in activities including a doughnut eating contest and a mummy-wrapping contest. Prizes were given out for winning these competitions and for most creative costumes.

“The game where we wrapped the buddies in toilet paper and then raced was the most fun because everyone was involved and having a good time,” Abbott said.

Further plans for Best Buddies include a walkathon in the Spring to help fundraise for the program and to bring together similar programs at surrounding schools. Students and teachers involved in the program hope to further unite their students by forming bonds with other students in other schools as well.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Donlan said. “We hope this is a big step for our program.”