During the 2024-25 school year, several impactful clubs — such as Good News, Best Buddies and Reverse Inclusion — have worked to promote inclusion and improve the overall school environment.

Amanda Rekich leads Best Buddies, Hannah Strengari directs the Reverse Inclusion Club, and Mia Tepper oversees the Good News Club at Butler Intermediate High School. These advisers help organize activities that are intended to create a positive experience for everyone involved.

In the Best Buddies Club, Rekich, along with several staff members and volunteers, organizes inclusive and engaging activities that help students build friendships and create lasting memories. Grace Behrens, a dedicated member of the club, takes part in many of these group events throughout the year.

Rekich explained that her favorite part of leading the club is seeing students interact with others outside their usual circles, saying that one of the most meaningful moments for her is “when I take my students back and forth to speech and the other kids in the hallway know them by name.”

Each meeting begins with students breaking into small groups of around 10 friends, followed by a variety of fun activities, such as crafts, games and sometimes a special treat. Some highlights have included making paper chain links, creating personalized handshakes, playing Uno and Blooket, and even putting together a joke book.

She was inspired to start the club after her son joined a Best Buddies group at the high school.

“I know he had a lot of fun,” she said, and after noticing there wasn’t a similar program at the elementary or intermediate level, she decided to start one at the intermediate.

Preparing for the club takes about a month of planning, including organizing materials and coordinating with assistant principal Gretchen Crissman, who is in charge of scheduling. Laughing, Rekich said the club meets “whatever day Mrs. Crissman tells me.”

One of her favorite memories was seeing students bond as they came up with handshakes together, a moment she described as truly special. She added that hearing students say how much they enjoyed the club has made it all worthwhile.

“The amount of kids that said they loved it,” she said.

Meetings are held in either Cafeteria A or B, depending on the group. For Rekich, the best part of each day is seeing students feel comfortable and confident around one another, rather than shy or unsure.

Behrens, said she feels that the best part about being in Best Buddies is that she can be a part of a community that is very positive and very encouraging. Her favorite memory was when they went up to the high school and watched a bocce game.

“It was really fun,” she said.

Strengari is the leader of the Reverse Inclusion Club where, similar to Best Buddies, students complete activities with peers and develop friendships. The difference is that this club is much smaller and meets in self-contained classrooms in a quieter environment.

Strengari explained that the best part of leading the club is watching the friendships that form between students. A typical day in Reverse Inclusion begins with students arriving, greeting each other and chatting as they settle in. The club provides a space for students to relax, hang out and enjoy games together.

Activities include crafts, games, planting flowers and creating special projects like Mother’s Day crafts. Strengari’s main goal in starting the club was to encourage acceptance of differences and to ensure everyone has the chance to participate.

To prepare for meetings, she organizes craft materials and supplies ahead of time. The club meets on Mondays and Fridays in Room 106.

Some of Strengari’s favorite memories are of playing various games and seeing the students get excited. She finds the most rewarding part of the club is watching students participate, interact and form new friendships. Each day, she especially enjoys witnessing the positive connections and bonds that develop.

Student Maggie McCurdy says the best part of being in Reverse Inclusion is helping the younger kids and spending time with friends. Her favorite memory from the club is “going outside and running around with all of the kids.”

Maggie decided to join the club because she wanted to help out and be involved. During meetings, she and other members enjoy making crafts, playing games, and learning how to understand and manage different emotions.

Tepper, a chorus teacher at the Intermediate High School, leads the Good News Club.

Good News provides a space where students can have fun while learning more about each other’s faith.

Tepper said the best part of leading the club is watching the seventh grade leaders take charge and seeing how many students show up to participate. A typical day at Good News Club begins with students gathering in Cafeteria A, where the leaders explain the planned activities. These can include prayer, games or other group activities.

Throughout the meetings, students focus on lessons about holidays, Bible verses, games with prizes and sharing prayer requests. The club is student-led, with members organizing Blooket and Kahoot games, scripture lessons and discussions. Bibles also are provided to any students who need them.

Tepper was excited when an eighth-grader approached her about starting the club and asked her to be the faculty sponsor. To prepare, she ensures students know the meeting dates and arranges coverage for the sessions.

Good News meets once a month, typically on Mondays or Fridays.

One of Tepper’s favorite memories is seeing about 50 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders engaged and talking openly about their spiritual journeys. She finds the most rewarding part of the club is watching the student leaders grow and seeing so many kids interested in exploring their faith together. She appreciates that the club is student-led and enjoys the large number of participants.

Seventh-grader Wyatt Ruby shared that the best part of being in the Good News Club is “being with friends.” His favorite memory is playing Blooket games with the group. He decided to join because he thought it would be a fun experience.

Wyatt said that members often play games and have group conversations about Jesus. One of the Bible verses he enjoys learning about in the club is John 3:16.

Quinn Stewart and Molly Wynn are seventh-graders in the Butler Area School District.

Taking Flight: An Eagle student journalism project

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Taking Flight is a student journalism project conducted by the Butler Eagle to encourage responsible journalism and inspire more informed readers.

The project encourages students in seventh to 12th grade to write an article or review an event in the community or at their school. Articles were submitted for review and were edited by the Eagle staff.

The article is then published in an edition of SOAR, a student newspaper produced by the Butler Eagle in cooperation with area school districts, or in the newspaper itself.