SAMANTHA TROUP | staff writer
photo | SAMANTHA TROUP
Missy Harter and her "Best Buddy" Latoya.


Missy Harter has found a best buddy in Latoya through her involvement with Best Buddies.

Sophomore communication major Missy Harter knows all about being a good friend. Two years ago she became a best buddy with Latoya during her involvement with Best Buddies through APU.

“Getting to know Latoya [has been my favorite part about Best Buddies] because I think best buds is all about the bond you create,” Harter said. “It’s so gratifying to know that people really appreciate you reaching out to them as a friend.”

Through Best Buddies, an international program dedicated to providing opportunities to have one-on-one friendships for people with intellectual disabilities.

APU works specifically with College Buddies, teaming APU students with those in the Citrus Transition Program.

Students who have intellectual disabilities and have finished high school without a diploma are offered further academic instruction, vocational opportunities, and social activities at the Citrus Transition Program.

The social opportunities and activities are where volunteers like Harter come in.

“Our students are 18 to 22 years old and they come here after they graduate from high school without a diploma,” a teacher at the Citrus Transitional Program Rick Homutoff explained.

“We teach academic skills, vocational skills, and social skills. Part of the social skills is where Best Buddies comes into play. We were looking for a program that helps develop students social skills that aren’t taught in the classroom. That’s where we found the Best Buddy program,” Homutoff said.

In the seven years that Best Buddies has been working with the Citrus Transitional Program the program has gone from an original five students to a much larger 50 students almost all of whom are paired with buddies.

Harter’s buddy Latoya is a vibrant, playful 22 year old who looks forward to Harters weekly visits.

“Hallelujah! Missy’s here,” Latoya, said when she saw Harter one day.

“With her buddy before Latoya was really shy but now Latoya has really gotten interactive and is such a loving girl. I think that Latoya and Harter are an amazing match and that they just bring out the best in each other,” junior nursing major and College Buddy Director Hannah Ciubal said.

But Latoya isn’t the only one who benefits from the friendship.

“I feel like Best Buddies has taught me to have more of a servant’s heart,” Harter said. “I’ve felt like this ministry has changed me probably more than it’s changed Latoya; I’m sure she likes having fun and likes having a friend in me but I feel like it’s changed me more. It’s taught me patience and to be a lot less prejudiced to people who have disabilities.”

Harter recognizes the importance of seeing Latoya as a person outside of her disability, especially since she doesn’t know anything about Latoya’s disability.

“Something that I continually talk to the Best Buddies about when we meet in the first part of the year is to treat the students like you would another peer,” Homutoff said. “It’s okay to have fun and joke around that’s all part of life but as far as demeanor make sure that you treat the students as peers. Our students have grown and matured and Latoya’s a student that we can say Best Buddies has been a part of teaching her more social skills.”

The relationship between Latoya and Harter extends outside of the classroom and weekly lunch visits. The pair went to see the play Wicked together with Latoya’s family.

On Halloween, one of their activities was to name one of their heroes, and Latoya picked Harter, even after Harter told her that she didn’t have to pick her.
“I think it was the cutest thing she’s said to me,” said Harter. “We definitely have a little sisterly relationship. There’s definitely love there. We joke around back and forth but at the end of the day, I know that she loves me and I certainly hope that she knows I love her too.”