Every year, the fifth grade class raises money through events such as the Halloween Party, conference babysitting, and the used book sale. Part of this money is used to purchase a gift for the school on behalf of the fifth grade class and their families. This year’s gift from the fifth grade graduating class is a buddy bench.
Here’s how it works: during recess, if a student does not have someone to play with or cannot find their friends, they sit on the buddy bench. This signals to all the other children on the playground that he or she is looking for a friend to play with or to join a game. We have asked all Hastings Heroes to keep an eye out for anyone sitting on the blue and yellow buddy bench, and to help them find their friends, or simply invite them to play.
It’s a simple and easy way to embody the Hastings philosophy that “everybody belongs” and to make sure everyone has fun at recess.
Special thanks to Mark Guerin of MJ Guerin Construction who did a great job assembling and installing the buddy bench at Hastings.
Watch a video of the presentation of the buddy bench at All School Meeting: