We are so grateful to donors who continue to pour back into our school! Thank you to former parents and now current grandparents, Molly and Claude Scarbrough, who wanted to donate a “Buddy Bench!”

The whole idea behind the Buddy Bench is simple – to foster friendships and inclusivity amongst our students! So if a student doesn’t have anyone to play with on the playground, they are to go and sit on the bench and wait! Other students are being taught to take notice and then join their friend on the bench and ask them to play! It’s so simple but so sweet!

I got to see it in action first hand recently when I went down to the playground. One little friend was sitting on the bench and I asked him what he was doing. And he said, “This bench is not for resting. I am not tired. I am just waiting for a friend.” And within a few moments, another friend came along and asked him if he wanted to go play, but not before I snapped a picture! 🙂

The lesson behind the Buddy Bench is reinforced frequently in our classrooms by our teachers and our Lower/Intermediate School counselor, Mr. Kenneth Hoats.

But even before it was moved to the playground, the LS/IS art classes played a large role in its design as they were the ones to paint it. And as they painted, they discussed what it was all about!

Again, it’s such a simple concept – be kind to others, be on the lookout for those who need a friend – but the impact of this bench is profound.

Thank you, Scarbrough Family, for giving back to our students in such a beautiful way.