Having a small (or big!) group of close friends helps make getting through the ups and downs of life a little easier. And especially in high school, everything is better with your friends. Whether it’s going to class, playing on a team, doing homework or sitting around talking about your crush, all of it is more enjoyable when you can share those moments with friends. It’s necessary to have a network or support system for when things get tough – and in high school, that’s bound to happen.
In the small town of Kenosha, Wisconsin, three best friends Scooter Terrien, Chase Vazquez and Miles Rodriguez, also referred to as the “three stooges,” know how special friendship is. They play basketball together and took a stand when another friend of theirs needed it. It was their gentlemanly act towards bullying that earned them a Sportsmanship Award for their bravery.
Desiree Andrews is a cheerleader on the school’s team who has down syndrome. Although sometimes she can’t quite find the words to express herself, her music and dancing help her communicate. The three boys admire Desiree’s attitude and think she’s the happiest person they know. She is a dear friend of theirs and the other kids in the school. So when a visiting team was over to play a basketball game, Scooter, Chase, and Miles noticed kids from the other school heckling Desiree during the time out.
From a distance, they could tell the other guys were bullying her while she was cheerleading. They knew they had the power to do something about it – without violence, just honesty and firmness. They left their coach’s huddle, in the middle of a game plan discussion, to walk over to the other side of the gym, and make it clear that their behavior wasn’t welcome.
It worked! The bullies were put to rest and the entire school sang their praises. As for Desiree, well, she calls them “her boys” and Desiree’s father just couldn’t be more appreciative. The respective fathers of each of the boys were beyond proud too, happy to know that they are raising respecting, young men. All around, this is a great story of how something seemingly small, can actually have a large and lasting impact on those who can’t always stand up for themselves.
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