Beautiful weather… plus a big happy crowd… plus an upcoming three-day holiday weekend… equals a great event.

The entire Barrington Middle School community — students, teachers, staff — participated in the second annual Best Buddies Unity Walk on Friday afternoon, May 24. 

The crowd was greeted with bright sunny skies, a comfortable breeze, and upbeat music pumping out of the speakers positioned near the front of the school. Barrington Middle School Principal Dr. Andy Anderson said last year’s inaugural Unity Walk was such a hit that officials decided to make in an annual event.

“It was so much fun last year that we wanted to do it again this year. It’s awesome,” Anderson said. “There’s such a spirit for inclusivity here, and celebration of all abilities. It’s a lot of fun. The entire school is here, which is great. Grades six, seven and eight, all clusters.”

The idea came from a larger Best Buddies walk that is held at Providence College. School officials said it would have been difficult to get all the BMS students up to Providence for that event, so they instead decided to hold a walk here, at the Barrington Middle School campus.

On Friday afternoon, May 24, as the school day began to wind down, classes of students made their way out the front doors of the school and walked together around the perimeter of the campus. For about 30 minutes, hundreds of students filled the sidewalks and paths on the BMS property. 

Kenny Berg is an eighth-grader at Barrington Middle School and a member of the BMS Best Buddies program, which is dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of people who have intellectual disabilities. He said he looks forward to participating in the annual Unity Walk. 

“I do, because it’s so inclusive and so fun. You never walk alone,” he said. “Just getting to know people and having fun.”

Members of the BMS Best Buddies program also marched in the town’s annual Memorial Day Parade, Berg said. 

“And sometimes on Wednesdays we do events. Sometimes it’s for the whole entire school. Sometimes it’s just for the Buddy pairs,” he said. 

Barrington Middle School has about 13 or 14 Best Buddies pairs and around 50 total students who participate in the program. 

Marissa Lema, an eighth-grader at Barrington Middle School, serves as the club president for BMS Best Buddies. She said the best part of the program is that it helps everyone feel included. 

About the walk, she said: “I think the kids like it. It’s a good way to get outside, get some fresh air, have some fun with your friends.”

That was easily apparent on Friday, as the BMS students laughed and smiled while making their way around the school. A Barrington Fire Department truck added to the excitement, as it sounded its air horn while driving by the school.