Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for friendship between people with and without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), offering social mentoring while improving quality of life and promoting inclusivity. Alumna Ella Lille Yerington, with the help of Director of Service Learning Elijah Sivin, created a Best Buddies chapter at Poly in the fall of 2023. Poly partnered with AHRC New York City Middle/High School campus, which is part of a larger franchise of schools that serve those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Best Buddies was not the first Poly and AHRC New York City MHS interaction. Sivin explains how he always wanted to partner with AHRC New York City MHS after a Poly parent, who also had a child at AHRC New York City Middle/High School, reached out to him, encouraging him to consider working with the school. Concerned “about scheduling conflicts and eager to create meaningful interactions,” Sivin introduced occasional service days that brought Poly Prep and AHRC New York City MHS students together. Reflecting on the experience, he shared his pleasant surprise at “the powerful connections that were made so quickly” during these short 90-minute sessions. The impact extended beyond the students; AHRC New York City MHS School faculty reached out to Sivin, emphasizing how transformative these meetings were for their students. Sivin recognized these gatherings as a “win-win,” noting that Poly students consistently showed up as “the best versions of themselves” in these settings. 

However, like many initiatives, these meetings were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Yerington later expressed interest in establishing a Best Buddies chapter, Sivin saw an opportunity to rebuild and strengthen the partnership with AHRC New York City. In this structured and consistent initiative, each Poly and AHRC New York City MHS student is paired up based on common areas of interest. Only about a 9-minute drive from each other, Poly and AHRC New York City MHS students are able to participate in events with each other. Last year, they organized food drives, celebrated Halloween, went to a pumpkin patch, celebrated the winter holiday season, created art, and participated in a field day. During each activity, students from both schools agreed that they had endless amounts of fun, creating bonds and special memories that they will cherish. This fall, Best Buddies is operating under the leadership of Senior Tallulah Glancy. Glancy leads with fearless enthusiasm and endless energy, doubling the number of Poly students engaged in the club this year. In her words, Best Buddies exemplifies “that all of our differences at the end of the day don’t matter and we need to use each other to help make the world a better place,” adding that when she spends time with her buddy, she sees “the beauty their soul has” and it reminds her “how incredible” people are. 

Juniors Brooke Lawerence and Anna Brandmeyer are current members of Best Buddies. Below are their experiences as members of Best Buddies. 

Anna: I have been a part of Best Buddies since its inception in the fall of 2023. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute I have spent with the students from AHRC New York City MHS and am so grateful for Poly’s Best Buddies chapter. My passion for working with individuals with developmental disabilities began with a program called Project Happy, an organization that facilitates recreational activities for young adults with disabilities. In 2021, I volunteered as a soccer coach with Project Happy, working with participants of various age groups and a range of disabilities. That experience was both refreshing and fulfilling, as it allowed me to build meaningful friendships with people I might not have met otherwise. When I learned of the partnership between Poly and AHRC New York City MHS, I jumped at the opportunity and immediately applied. Last year, I was paired with a fellow sophomore from AHRC New York City MHS, because of our shared love for soccer and music. Over the course of the year, we met several times, each meeting allowing us to get to know one another better. My favorite memory with with the fellow sophomore student is our endless debate: cats vs. dogs. The student, a proud cat owner, and I, a devoted dog owner, would go back and forth. Those arguments always ended in laughter, and they became some of my favorite moments from the year. I am so excited to continue our friendship and make more memories this year! The memories I’ve made within Best Buddies are some of my favorite of my Poly experience and I am so grateful that I’ve been able to create bonds with students I wouldn’t get to otherwise.   

Brooke: This is my first year being a part of Best Buddies! I joined after participating in the end-of-the-year Field Day last year. This event was held at Poly during the last week before summer break. We played basketball and kickball, did yoga, and ate pizza- it was amazing. After that event, I felt so fulfilled seeing everyone come together, participate in activities, and genuinely have fun. It was incredible to watch the joy and connection unfold throughout the day. I walked away feeling such a genuine connection with the AHRC New York City MHS students I met, and that experience stayed with me. I knew I wanted to be part of this program in a more meaningful way, and joining Best Buddies this year felt like the perfect next step. Being a part of Best Buddies has been a transformative experience for me because it allows me to build relationships with people in my community. What I love about Best Buddies is that it’s not just about mentorship — it’s about friendship, mutual learning, and creating a space where everyone feels valued and supported. I love how this program brings people together in such an authentic way and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to experience just how amazing Best Buddies truly is.  

We are looking forward to all the memories we will make this year with the AHRC New York City MHS students!