Anna Real
Staff Writer
Friendship has a value uncomparable to any amount of wealth. The Friendship Circle meets every Tuesday and Thursday in the room 114 during lunch for students to bond with special needs individuals.
The Friendship Circles of Mira Costa and Redondo Union went head to head in a money raising fundraiser. The clubs’ fundraisers were located at Fresh Brothers Pizza competing for a $100 donation from the South Bay Friendship Circle.
“Making friends isn’t in their skill set so we formed the nation Friendship Circle Club,” teacher advisor Dr. Rocky Wilson said. “Students can befriend special needs students and it changes their lives. They now have friends they can do stuff with whereas they never had friends before.”
With roughly 50 members and Friendship Circle Clubs in almost every high school in the South Bay, Friendship Circle involves much of the community. The South Bay community comes together by holding events and hiring volunteers to help and change the lives of special needs students.
“It brings the community together to help those who have special needs,” senior and member Hannah Camel said. “They can so easily be ostracized but community involvement promotes their social development. Friendship Circle created events and methods to be a part of these kids lives, leading to more confidence in social interaction.”
The club’s a fundraiser was held on friday night, February 6 at Fresh Brothers’ Pizza on N. Sepulveda Blvd. Money was earned when customers bought pizza with a voucher and 20% of the money goes to the Friendship Circle.
“During the whole week, we’ve been passing around vouchers to people around campus for the fundraiser,” club leader senior Lia Sepanek said. “I will also be there tonight handing out vouchers to the customers.”
The Mira Costa Friendship Circle and Redondo Union Friendship Circle were in competition to see who could earn more money. The Redondo Fundraiser held the same fundraising idea but was at the Fresh Brothers’ location on the Pacific Coast Highway.
“A lot of people didn’t know about the competition part of the fundraiser,” Sepanek said. “We were motivated to work a little bit harder to earn money.”
In the end, Mira Costa had raised $228.34 towards the Friendship Circle, beating Redondo. Costa received a bonus $100 donation from the South Bay Friendship Circle for the success of their fundraiser.
“We beat Redondo in the amount raised and earned $228.34,” Sepanek said. “Redondo made $96.17 and the $100 donation from the South Bay Friendship Circle was included in our $228 earnings.”
The large sum of money will help the Friendship Circle do more out of school activities such as field trips to Disneyland further in the year. It doesn’t completely cover the price of tickets but lowers the cost of their privileges significantly.
“We wanted to make as much money as we could because whatever we do make will enable us to do more fun activities,” Sepanek said. “We have a Disneyland trip that we go on every year so the more money we make the less we have to pay for tickets.”
Friendship Circle is known for changing all students in a way that they never thought they could change before. The club gives them the power to feel important in someone else’s life.
“Not only is the special education kid transformed but the student is as well because now realize what a challenge it is to have a disability like down syndrome,” Dr. Wilson said.
The club not only benefits the special needs kids, but the members of the club themselves. The club has students interact with special needs students, teaching students an important lesson.
“I feel like the program has helped me mature,” freshman and member Teryn Colmery said. “The club has given me the opportunity to become friends with great people who I become closer with week after week.”
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