Orchard Elementary's Buddy Bench a place for students to find friends

At Orchard Drive Elementary School in Jackson, being a bench warmer doesn't mean you're excluded, it means you're about to be included.

The Buddy Bench, a pastel green and blue seat with "Buddy Bench" pained on the back, is being used as an icebreaker and a way for students to learn some valuable social and life skills.

Orchard principal Shanna Wilson said she learned about the Buddy Bench through social media last winter, did more research at Buddybench.org and forwarded it to PTO president Michelle Flathe. The Buddy Bench idea came from second-grader Christian Bucks, who attends school in Roundtown, Pennsylvania. The bench is used at schools around the country.

Flathe reached out to Jefferson Fox, custodial supervisor for the district and dad of Zoe Fox, who attends Orchard, about the idea. Fox made the treated pine bench, funded by the PTO, on his own time, involving his family in the philosophy behind it.

When a child sits on the pastel green and blue seat with "Buddy Bench" across the back, that signals other students to play with him or her. Fox's daughter, Zoe, approves of the initiative.

From left, Alysa Holshouser, Trenton Rollet, Megan Berger and Zoe Fox hang out at the Buddy Bench on Tuesday at Orchard Elementary in Jackson. (Laura Simon)

"I think it's really cool and ... it will help everyone if they don't have a friend, or if they're new," the girl said.

Counselor Jill Hadler teaches youngsters to develop a strategy before going to the playground -- figuring out what they're going to do, what to do if the swings are full, or even picking a meeting place for themselves and a friend.

Orchard has 620 students and several recess times, Hadler said, and there can be more than 100 students on the playground at once, with lots of teachers supervising.

The bench is placed apart from other spots used for eating snacks or hanging out.

"It works very well at Orchard because we have such a large population," she said. " ... I've heard teachers say there will be a student on the bench, but they won't be there very long because a group of students will come along. It helps kids reach out. We have a lot of really kind students.

"The kids are waiting to see someone on it.

"It's for the kid asking the kid on the bench as much as the kid on the bench," Hadler added.

Third-grade teacher Rhonda Farrow has seen the Buddy Bench used a couple of times.

"It's still kind of new, but the kids that may not always have someone to play with learn social skills and get accepted easier," Farrow said.

Orchard students Trenton Rollet, Alysa Holhouser and Megan Berger think the bench is a great idea.

"It's wonderful because you can find a friend in a short amount of time instead of looking everywhere," Holhouser said. She said it feels "wonderful" to ask someone to play "because you're making someone feel happy."

"It's pretty cool. I got a friend on this thing," Rollet said.

Berger said the bench can be used in the After School Club and that one of her friends used it.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

1402 Orchard Dr, Jackson, MO