The Buzz about The Beehive

In a world where teenagers are often underestimated, a group of Memorial-area high school students are proving just how powerful youth-led change can be.

By any definition, 15-year-old Memorial High sophomore Meredith Otness leads a jam-packed life filled with worthy effort. She dances with the Markettes drill team, serves on the MHS yearbook committee, and takes advanced academic courses. Yet, in her few spare hours beyond books, study, and practice, Meredith has managed to deliver an extraordinary gift to her peers challenged with disabilities. 

She is the creator and president of The Beehive, a vibrant, student-run organization that hosts themed events for teens and young adults of all abilities. The group organizes monthly social events like pool parties, costume contests, bingo nights, karaoke, holiday celebrations, sports days, disco parties, dance-offs, game nights, and even carnivals. All with the mission of generating inclusive, joyful spaces for teens and young adults with special needs.

Pictured at The Beehive’s Field Day are Kristin Walter and Edie Mahan frolicking with bubbles.

Buzz about The Beehive has quickly spread; their biggest event last year included 26 participants. 

“I did not expect Beehive to become as successful in such a short amount of time,” said Meredith. “We’ve had so many kids that I've never met before, so many parents reaching out expressing their gratitude, and now we're working on our 501c3 status.” 

It all started one year ago with a quiet spark of inspiration, a conversation between Meredith and her friend, Edie Mahan, sitting in the back of an 8th-grade English Language Arts class at Memorial Middle, and has blossomed into something more meaningful and powerful than either dreamed possible.

“Every time I hear a parent say how grateful they are, or someone reaches out and says how cool it is, it just makes my heart so happy, because it just lets me know that we’ve really touched people in the community,” said Edie, now a Stratford sophomore and the group's vice president. “I never thought that it would get this big. And it's just so cool to think that from that little day in eighth grade we were planning these things out, not even sure we were going to be able to do it.”

Ford Rissmiller and David Morse with water guns.

It is all part of a bigger mission calculated to include Meredith’s older brother, John, who has a rare neurogenetic disorder called SETBP1 Haploinsufficiency. The initial, inclusive gathering, a small pool party in the Otness backyard, has grown exponentially in size and popularity, so much so that The Beehive has approached area churches for space to better accommodate their expanding group of fun seekers. They are joyful gatherings, which trace their genesis to a younger sister’s abiding concern and love for her older brother. 

John Otness is 17 and a junior at Memorial High School. His rare disorder causes speech disorders, autism, and intellectual disabilities. 

“Despite my brother’s challenges, he is the kindest, sweetest, most compassionate soul of anyone I know,” said Meredith. “I saw how much he wanted to be included in social events, but had very little opportunities.” 

What makes The Beehive truly exceptional is not just the fun-filled events – it’s who is running them. The organization is fully powered by high school students. From planning to decorating, volunteering and managing, these teens are in charge. The board consists of six students from Memorial, Stratford, and Houston Christian High Schools.

Tristan Rojas and Edie Mahan with water guns.

Among these young leaders is Luke Kovacs, a sophomore at Stratford High School and the only male member of the board. Luke serves as director of community outreach – a title he wears with pride and purpose.

“I’ve worked with special needs organizations before, but I’ve never seen anything like The Beehive,” Luke said. “It’s completely run by kids, for young adults. That’s something really special. I was moved by their mission – that’s what drove me to get involved.”

And he’s not alone. There’s no shortage of student volunteers ready to give their time, energy, and hearts to The Beehive. That’s in large part thanks to Meredith, who ensures that the organization stays true to its vision – no adults (besides a few participants, since all are welcome between the ages of 13-22). In fact, the only adult regularly present at events is Meredith’s mom, Erin Otness, a pediatrician and quiet supporter, who lets the kids lead the way.

A PLACE FOR EVERYONE The Beehive hosts fun events for young people of all abilities. Kate Weir paints Kayla Puthenmadathil’s face at The Beehive’s Field Day.

“Meredith has always looked out for him and seems to ‘get’ him on a different level than many other people,” said Erin. “She has a huge heart and really cares deeply about things. When she began to notice that her brother was occasionally lonely and longing for typical teen social opportunities, she knew she wanted to do something. The Beehive was born from her vision of the types of opportunities that she wanted for her brother, but that did not seem to exist before. She started with an idea for how she could make the world a little better for her brother and other kids with similar challenges. I am so proud of and inspired by each of them.”

The idea thrived because Meredith recruited a compassionate group of friends to build it with her.

“Our board genuinely has been a lifesaver, and our volunteers are the most amazing people,” said Meredith. “Some of them have been my friends in the past, some of them I met through The Beehive, but all of them have a heart and passion for it, to want to make it happen is what made it happen.”

Tristan Rojas and Meredith Otness at The Beehive Dance/Karaoke Party.

The parents of the participants are deeply moved by the genuine inclusion their children with disabilities are experiencing. For families who have often felt overlooked, this sense of belonging means everything. Nineteen-year-old Carter Berg, who has Down syndrome, has been part of the program since the beginning. 

“The one thing that's definitely missing from Carter’s life is being able to socialize with his peers, because his brother and sister are so much older, all he really has is me,” said mom Susan Collins, who works in customer service for Safeway Driving. “When I picked him up after the first outing, he would not stop. He was going a mile a minute, laughing, and just talking about how much fun they had. It was the sweetest and it is very rare that I get that from him. That’s what we are getting from Beehive, is that sense of fellowship and just being a typical teen, being able to be away from your mom for a few hours.” 

The fact that their special needs children are nearing adulthood doesn’t mean their care gets any easier. In fact, many adults with disabilities are not able to stay home alone, which means parents still have the extended, lifelong cost of arranging “care” every time they leave their home. 

Carter Berg and Tristan Rojas at The Beehive Sports/Board Game Night. 

The Beehive delivers a double dividend for these parents of both time and treasure. The events are free, other than a suggested donation of $25 to help cover food costs. The parents get a bit of respite while their kids are getting the best kind of therapeutic experience there is – friendship, acceptance, and cherished high school moments.

“Beehive has truly been a shining light in Tristan’s life,” said Veronica Rojas about her 17-year-old son who will be a junior at MHS, and has been attending Beehive events. “The friends and memories he has made are absolutely priceless. Meredith and all the dedicated volunteers have had a profoundly positive impact on Tristan and his friends.” 

Luke Kovacs shared that growing up with his own learning challenges of dyslexia and dysgraphia gives him a deeper understanding – a connection born from experience not just empathy. 

“I’m not there for volunteer hours. I’m not there for college applications. I’m there to be a friend, and that’s what Beehive has given to me, another group of friends,” said Luke. 

“It just means that we are doing something right and giving them a place to belong,” said Abby McClees, a sophomore at Stratford and the Beehive’s secretary.

The Beehive is far more than a club. It is a movement and proof that when young people are given the opportunity to lead with compassion and creativity, they can build something remarkable, enriching lives in the process.

Meredith Otness and her brother John, who inspired her to start The Beehive.

Share the Rare

In addition to creating community and planning fun events, The Beehive maintains a blog called “Share the Rare,” dedicated to educating readers about rare genetic diseases. They hope to encourage people to stop looking away and instead to look more closely and become curious about the many people in our community who are unique and fascinating and persevering despite their challenges. They highlight a particular disorder in each blog by featuring a child with the genetic anomaly. They have written about ATP6V1A Encephalopathy, Hunter Syndrome, GNB1 Disorder, SETBP1 Disorder, CACNA1A, Fragile X, Cohen syndrome, and Down syndrome. See thebeehivehtx.org. 

Editor’s note: Visit thebeehivehtx.org or follow @the.beehive.htx on Instagram to learn more about the organization and find upcoming events. Their next event is a back-to-school party on Aug. 16.