Best Buddies prom brings together special needs and general education students

LOS ANGELES - The Best Buddies prom is no ordinary prom. Students from general education programs and students with intellectual disabilities are paired together, and now they’re having the party of the year. 

Those students include Ryan, who loves hanging out with his buddy Ethan.

“Ethan is the most energetic and fun guy,” Ryan, standing next to Ethan, told FOX 11. “I mean, this guy is just a ball of energy. And he has super cool dance moves too.”

The prom brings in buddies from schools all over the region. This year, the theme was superheroes, and of course there were prom pics, dinner, and lots of dancing.

And the buddies don’t just hang out at the Best Buddies prom, they hang out all year long.

The program hopes to help young people have a chance to learn and grow by spending time with someone a little different from themselves. Often both sides find out they find out they have more in common than they think.

“It means a lot to me,” said Memphis, a special needs student. “I’ve never had a friend like this before.”