BY ALISON ROESKE, YUCAIPA CALIMESA NEWS MIRROR REPORTER
Yucaipa High School proudly presented its annual Best Buddies talent show with the theme of “Happiness” at 6 p.m. on Feb. 7. Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization that aims to create a worldwide volunteer movement. The YHS chapter of Best Buddies specifically emphasizes friendships between Life Skills students and their peers in general education, and the talent show raises funds for the YHS Best Buddies club and showcases the diverse talents of the students who are involved.
This year, the show’s 60 participants included Life Skills students and their buddies in general education, associate members from the general education program, and advisors such as Mark Stafford and Priscilla Mora, along with Life Skills teachers like Scott Salinas and Reyna Salemi, and paraprofessional staff program, and advisors such as Mark Stafford and Priscilla Mora, along with Life Skills teachers like Scott Salinas and Reyna Salemi, and paraprofessional staff.
“My favorite thing is to see the smiles on students’ faces when they walk on stage and they see their hard work pay off,” she said.
Advisors Mark Stafford and Priscilla Mora welcomed the crowd, and the students opened the show with performances of “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “Shout” and “Everybody Dance Now.” For these and several other numbers throughout the show, the performers encouraged active audience participation, such as clapping and singing along with the students.
Students also donned colorful costumes and props for more musical numbers in the first act, which included “Car Wash,” “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This,” “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” “Price Tag,” “Happy” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” There was also a stand-up comedy routine, which featured gentle jokes like “Why was the Incredible Hulk so good at gardening?” “Because he had a green thumb.”
YHS High School senior Chase Medina, who participated in the stand-up comedy routine in the first act, called the Best Buddies talent show a “fun environment” which has a “welcoming family vibe.”
He also encouraged other high school students to get involved with Best Buddies on campus. “It’s a sick club,” he said. “Sick as in super cool.”
During the show’s intermission, advisor Mark Stafford said the importance of the event was “the joy our Life Skills students have with their buddies and the sense of camaraderie. This is one of the best experiences the buddies and their peers are going to have.”
The second half of the show featured “Working 9 to 5,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Kung Fu Fighting,” “Uptown Funk,” “La Bamba,” “Jambalaya,” “Can You Feel the Sunshine” and another stand-up comedy routine with pirate-themed jokes. (Example: “What is the pirate’s favorite part of the song?” “The hook.”) The Buddies closed out the show with an energetic rendition of “Jump in the Line” as performers danced in a congastyle line across the stage. The evening ended with a group cheer on stage for the YHS Best Buddies.
In a follow-up email after the show, Stafford added, “It is hugely stressful preparing for the talent show, but the rewards are countless. Seeing the joy of our Life Skills students as they perform and the enjoyment between them and their peer buddy during this time makes all of the stress irrelevant.
A bonus is seeing how happy and grateful our students’ parents are during the show. Audience reaction and participation is the icing on the cake and helps to complete a truly beautiful evening.”
Keep up with the Best Buddies on Instagram at instagram.com/yucaipahighbestbuddies/.