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- Best Buddies Georgia Buddy Beat! - April 2025
Best Buddies Georgia Buddy Beat! - April 2025
Your one-stop shop for all things happening with Best Buddies in Georgia schools.
Doug Peters
April 02, 2025
Need the quick details? We have you covered! Here is a summary:
📢 Program Updates
Annual Registration is Open! Faculty Advisors and Chapter Presidents must complete their 2025-2026 Annual Registration at www.bestbuddies.org/lead, as applications don’t roll over each year.
Attention All College Chapter Leaders: Be sure to check with your student activities office to confirm that you’ve completed your school’s org registration process for next year!
Chapter President Interviews Underway! The application process has closed, and interviews have begun! Candidates, check your inbox for updates. A huge thank you to our faculty advisors and graduating chapter presidents for their help during this process!
Pro-Tip: Start thinking about transition items, such as recognizing graduating seniors, passing along important log-in information to social media accounts, access to important documents, and hosting a training for the upcoming officers for 2025-2026.
End-of-Year Reports Due May 30th! Faculty Advisors and Chapter Presidents, please check your email for your report. Didn’t receive it? Let us know ASAP!
BBLC Registration Deadline – May 15th! Don’t forget to secure your spot for the Best Buddies Leadership Conference! At least one student leader or faculty advisor from each high school and college chapter must attend. Register here!
Introducing Our First-Ever Student Advisory Board! Looking to make an even bigger impact? Apply for a leadership role on our new Student Advisory Board!
👟 Friendship Walk 2025 – Let the Fun Times Roll!
Join us for a day of fun, friendship, and inclusion at one of our Friendship Walk events across Georgia!
📍 Metro Atlanta – Saturday, May 3 | 8:30 AM | Johns Creek High School
📍 Middle Georgia – Saturday, April 26 | 10:00 AM | Mary Persons High School
📍 Coastal Georgia – Sunday, April 27 | 2:00 PM | Ebenezer Middle School
A huge Best Buddies shoutout to our participating schools! Special recognition to those who have gone above and beyond in fundraising (marked with an asterisk!), and extra applause for our top fundraising schools (double asterisks!).
Atlanta:
Decatur High School**, North Atlanta High School*, Chamblee Charter High School*, Talley Upper Street Elementary*, Riverwood International Charter School*, University of Georgia*, King Middle School*, Denmark High School*, Pope High School*, Johns Creek High School*, Emory University, Fannin County High School, Collins Hill High School, Norcross High School, Beacon Hill Middle School, The Paideia School
Middle Georgia:
Mary Persons High School, Georgia College & State University
Coastal Georgia:
Ebenezer Middle School**, Marlow Elementary School, Blandford Elementary School, Guyton Elementary School, Effingham County High School, Rincon Elementary School, Sand Hill Elementary School, Ebenezer Elementary School
Want to help promote the Walk? We’ve created customized social media flyers and awesome fundraising incentives—check them out here!
🧩 Best Buddies Leadership Conference (BBLC) – Registration Open!
📅 July 18-21, 2025 | 📍 Indiana University
BBLC is a must-attend event for high school and college leaders! This conference provides leadership training, networking opportunities, and essential chapter resources.
Mandatory for all high school & college chapters (at least one student leader or faculty advisor must attend!)
Cost: $400 per participant + travel expenses
Registration Deadline: May 15th → Sign up here!
💡 BBLC 2025 Information Nights are coming up! These sessions will answer common questions and provide all the details you need.
Dates: Wednesday, May 14 | Tuesday, May 27 | Wednesday, June 4
Time: 6:00 – 7:15 PM (Virtual)
Attendance is required! If you can’t attend, you must watch the recording and confirm completion.
Register for only one session here!
💰 Need Financial Assistance?
Set up a personal fundraising page here.
Apply for the Peters Leaders Scholarship! We’re offering two $200 partial scholarships—apply here.
🔹 Additional Updates & Opportunities
Chapter Check-In Form – We appreciate your updates! Submit here. Congrats to our recent raffle winner! 🎉
Workshops Available! Looking for engaging programming for your chapter? We’ve partnered with amazing facilitators—contact us to learn more!
Stay Connected!
Thank you for your dedication to inclusion, leadership, and friendship. Let’s finish the year strong and, most importantly—have FUN! 🎉🚀
April Adventures: Friendship, Fun & Final Prep! 🚀
The 2025-2026 school year is wrapping up, and we’re in forward motion to the finish line! With Friendship Walks, Annual Chapter Registrations, Student Advisory Board Launches, The Peters Leaders Scholarship Applications, New Leader Transition Items, Chapter President Interviews, End-of-Year Reports, and the Best Buddies Leadership Conference, there’s so much to celebrate and accomplish before summer.
April is also Autism Awareness Month—a time to promote acceptance, celebrate neurodiversity, and continue our commitment to creating inclusive communities for all! Let’s use this month to amplify the voices of individuals with autism, educate others, and take action towards advocacy. Buckle up, folks — let’s finish strong together! 🚀🎉
Chapter Check-In Forms - Winner Selected!
A HUGE Best Buddies shoutout to the incredible schools that submitted their March Chapter Check-In Forms! Your updates help us provide the best support possible, and we truly appreciate your dedication to inclusion and leadership.
🎉 Special congratulations to this month’s digital gift card winner, highlighted with a star below!
⭐ Deidre Stewart, Dade County High School* (Winner!)
Lisa Leiter, Marietta High School
Elizabeth Holloway, Mary Persons High School
Kimia Askari, Denmark High School
Cheril Lunt, Winder-Barrow High School
Angela Yeager, Denmark High School
Laney Heard, Georgia College
Mackenzie Lundy, University of North Georgia
Thank you for staying engaged and keeping us updated! Who will be next month’s winner? Submit your April Chapter Check-In Form for a chance to win, and stay tuned for the next Buddy Beat to find out! Keep up the amazing work! 💪🔥
Walk for Friendship: Join the 2025 Friendship Walks Events!
The countdown has started! Best Buddies Friendship Walk 2025 is taking over April and May with Middle Georgia, Coastal Georgia, and Metro Atlanta. We hope to see you there!
❓ Why join?
✔️ It’s FREE!
✔️ Food, music, fun activities & school superlatives! 🏆🎶🍔
✔️ Epic incentives like a Coke Float Party, Falcons tickets, BBLC fees waived, and more! 🍦🏈
📍 Walk Locations:
📌 Metro Atlanta
📌 Coastal Georgia
📌 Middle Georgia
📢 Need help spreading the word? We’ve created custom social media flyers so your school can promote & recruit your team with ease! 🎨📲
Let’s make this the biggest and best Friendship Walk yet! Register your team today: 👇
🔗 https://www.bestbuddies.org/georgia/friendship-walk
Atlanta Friendship Walk Incentives
Coastal Georgia Walk Incentives
April is all about Chapter President Selection, Officer Recruitment, and End of the Year Wrap Ups!
As you begin preparing for the end of the year and registering for BBLC, remember to end with a plan in mind! 🎉
We have a variety of resources available on Best Buddies University and the Best Buddies in Georgia Chapter Toolkit to support you. These include:
✅ Leader transition Items
✅ Recruitment materials
✅ Training resources from LTD and BTBB
✅ Other helpful tools to strengthen your chapter
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. Thanks for all you do!
Get Ready for the Best Buddies Leadership Conference (BBLC) 2025!
🌟 Get Ready for BBLC 2025! 🌟
We’re thrilled to welcome you to this year’s Best Buddies Leadership Conference (BBLC)—a life-changing weekend where leaders, volunteers, and advocates from around the world come together to grow, connect, and drive change!
For over 30 years, BBLC has empowered thousands with the skills, confidence, and tools to make a lasting impact in their schools and communities. Now it’s your turn!
📢 Key Details:
✅ Who should attend? While open to all, attendance is mandatory for high school and college chapters.
✅ Cost: $400 per participant + round-trip airfare to Indianapolis, IN.
💡 Need help with fundraising? We’ve got you covered! Set up a personalized social media fundraising page here. Have questions? Reach out—we’re happy to help!
📢 BBLC 2025 Information Nights – Register Now!
Have questions about the Best Buddies Leadership Conference? We’ve got you covered! Join one of our mandatory virtual Information Nights to get all the details on registration, travel, payments, and what to expect. If you’re attending BBLC, you must participate in one of these sessions or watch the recording.
🗓 Choose a session, tell your parents about it, and register today:
➡ Wednesday, May 14 at 6:00 PM – Register Here
➡ Tuesday, May 27 at 6:00 PM – Register Here
➡ Wednesday, June 4 at 6:00 PM – Register Here
Don’t miss out—secure your spot today and we can’t wait to see you in Indiana! 🚀🎉
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