Churchill School to offer new Buddy Benches
Churchill School will soon be home to two Buddy Benches, thanks to the hard work and initiative of three fourth-graders.
A Buddy Bench encourages inclusiveness by providing a place where a student can sit if they are looking for someone to play with, or simply want to make a new friend. They can also be used as a place to problem-solve with a classmate.
After Mia Buttita told her classmates Juliana Klups and Katya Cangiano about the success of a Buddy Bench at the school she attended before Churchill, the three decided to lobby for one to be installed on their playground.
"When we're out on the playground, we see kids playing by themselves, or feeling lonely, or like they don't have any friends," Mia said. "We thought a Buddy Bench would be a nice improvement to make Churchill better than it already is."
"We want everyone to have a chance to make friends and meet new people," Juliana added.
After successfully pitching their idea to Churchill Principal Lisa Hopkins, the students presented it to Mike Mostacci, the assistant director of facilities for District 54, and several other district staff members.
Not only did the district staff members approve of the idea, they also committed to matching the amount Churchill raised for the project so two Buddy Benches could be installed.
The school's Penny Wars challenge this year targeted the Buddy Bench project. More than $500 was collected in the first week alone.
"The whole school gets to participate in adding something wonderful and new to our playground," Katya said.
Mia, Juliana and Katya worked closely with the school's Make a Difference Club and its sponsors - Mary Brodie, Caitlyn Johnson and Bob Wroblewski - to raise awareness and support.
The club hung posters around the school and created a dashboard to track fundraising progress. They also visited classrooms to encourage students to donate, and shared information and updates on the school announcements several times a week.
"It's really fun, and it feels good to make a difference," Mia said.
She is excited that her younger siblings will be able to tell their classmates that their big sister helped to bring the Buddy Benches to their school, she added.
The plan is to install the Buddy Benches over the summer. Once school is back in session, staff will teach students how to use the bench to make friends and to problem-solve.
"I" messages, which help students express their feelings and advocate for themselves, will be painted on the blacktop near the benches so students can incorporate those into their problem-solving, as well, Hopkins said.
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