West High senior passionate about serving those with special needs

For as long as she can remember, Kailin Lust has been enthusiastic about serving young people with special needs.

While attending Northwest Junior High School, Lust, 17, realized there wasn't a way for young people with special needs to get the support they desired.

'I started a club similar to Best Buddies because they don't have Best Buddies yet at junior high level,” said Lust, now a senior at West High School in Iowa City. 'When I got to high school, I went to the club fair and it was naturally what I wanted to join.”

During her freshman year of high school, Lust was a peer buddy and was paired with someone with an intellectual or developmental disability. She was secretary of the organization during her sophomore year. During her junior year, Lust became vice president.

Now she is president of Best Buddies at West High. The organization hosts events twice a month, and Lust spends time with her buddy regularly. The two have been friends for five years.

'I love seeing people make new friendships, especially for people who have intellectual developmental disabilities,” Lust said. 'Their social networks are a lot smaller, so it's really great when we can help people have friends that normally wouldn't be able to.”

Lust is also her high school theater's production manager. Outside of school, she provides respite care for a young boy with autism. She picks him up from school twice a week and also takes him to appointments.

'Picking him from school is my favorite part,” she said. 'I walk into his room to pick him up and he immediately stands up and runs to the door and is smiling. It's the most rewarding part.”

Lust is the daughter of Tony and Lori Lust. She has one older sister, Tori, 21. Lori Lust said her daughter's empathy for others is her most admirable trait.

'Somebody says, ‘Congratulations,' I say, ‘She came out like this,'” Lori said.

After graduation, Lust plans to attend the University of Iowa and major in human physiology.