Teen helping mentally disabled in valley

Danielle DeVera, a senior at The Meadows School, is quick to describe herself as a "boring" person.

She is far from your average 18-year-old, however, listing her hobbies as yoga, reading and community service.

Her interest in community service becomes more passionate the longer she is involved with Best Buddies International, a program that strives to enhance the lives of the mentally disabled by pairing them with one-on-one friends, and giving them opportunities to integrate into society.

DeVera's interest in the program was first piqued during a visit to her brother, the vice president of the University of Southern California's Best Buddies chapter. She was so impressed, she couldn't wait to return home and start a Las Vegas chapter.

"Honestly, it's just a great cause," DeVera says. "I think it's unfair for kids with disabilities to have to feel like they aren't a part of their communities."

Though DeVera was highly motivated, she met with a few obstacles along the way. When she called the California office, she was initially denied and told there was no way to start a chapter without an office, and that it would cost $25,000 to start one.

Eventually, she learned that if she could raise $7,500, that she could start a chapter.

Undaunted, she began working, and through fundraising and help from her debate team, she managed to come up with $3,000.

DeVera was discouraged until about two months ago, when she received word that the rest of the money had been raised and her chapter had gotten approval. It's scheduled to begin during the 2008-09 school year.

"What's most important is that it's actually going to happen," DeVera says.

She credits Henry Chanin, the director of the upper school at The Meadows, and Jan Rowell, who organizes community service at The Meadows, as her biggest influences.

DeVera is working toward more fundraising through T-shirt sales and other projects to raise awareness.

"Awareness is what's most important, and volunteer work is way more important than the money," she says. "I do it because I love it. It's not for resumes. Do great things for your community, because you live in it. It's done so much for you."