Back in October, S&S donated a Buddy Bench to the Colchester Elementary School in honor of Bully Prevention month. We wanted to continue spreading awareness by sharing the meaning behind the Buddy Bench, and acknowledging that friendship can be encouraged throughout the school year.

Friendships Buddy Bench

Colchester Elementary School is now using their Buddy Bench in their kindergarten wing, so that kids just starting out in school can learn the importance of kindness and friendship. Recognizing safe spaces and teaching empathy is crucial in the early years. The bench also makes it easier for staff to visually recognize when kids may be struggling during unstructured time at the school.

Buddy Bench Background:

The history of the Buddy Bench is truly a remarkable story of how one child can make a difference. A first grade student name Christian from Roundtown Elementary started it all. He knew there were some kids at his school who were lonely at recess and thought a special bench could help them make friends. The principal loved the idea and let Christian pick out a bench for his school. The children loved it, and soon the idea was spread across the country. Now, the Buddy Bench has become a symbol of friendship and carries the message that no child should feel alone.

Find out how you can bring a bench to your school!

A special thank you to the Bully Busters of Norwich who built the bench, and were thrilled to be a part of this donation. Brian Armstrong from S&S raved, “I truly appreciate everyone’s effort to make this happen. The bench is a true masterpiece and encompasses the S&S purpose.”

You can check out more Bullying Prevention ideas here!