It has been a month since students and teachers have returned to College and a regular school routine. A big part of school routine is recess and lunch breaks. Everyone has a break to replenish their bodies with food and drink, as well as interact in the playground with their friends. This year we have a wonderful new addition in our Kindy Playground area to support and assist our youngest students during their break time. It is the ‘Buddy Bench’.
What is a Buddy Bench?
Last year Cinzia, who was a Year 6 prefect at the time wrote to me with the idea to provide a ‘Buddy Bench’ after visiting the annual Junior Leaders Social Action Expo. Cinzia was inspired to serve our community and was optimistic that this would have a positive impact amongst the students in the Junior School. As I read her letter, it brought me great joy to see young leaders who are passionate, who have a heart to serve and who take action to make their vision a reality.
I am delighted to share that a Buddy Bench has been placed in the Kindy Playground area and is being used by our younger students. The students have been shown the Buddy Bench and can use it as a way to make a new friend or perhaps as a gathering place if you’ve lost your friends in the playground. Cinzia was keen to see it used as “a safe space seat that students can go to when they have feelings that are bigger than they can handle and others are aware of the seat’s importance, knowing that the person sitting there is feeling something,and they need some kindness.”
We thank Cinzia’s family for generously donating the first Buddy Bench at Thomas Hassall (see photo below). This is just the beginning of the Buddy Bench initiative and I expect that with the success of this one, there will be more to come across the Junior School in the future.
