The Luther students who participate in the Friends Organization are volunteers who commit their time and energy to positively influencing the children they work with. Before a Luther student is paired with a child, they undergo a mandatory training session. 

The training session is an annual event held in September, hosted by Laura Smith, the special need facilitator for the Decorah Community School District. At the training session, Luther students are given information about how to properly interact with special needs children, receive tips about what to do in challenging situations, and are taught people-first language.