- February 5, 2025
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One day, four Sugar Mill Elementary students saw one of their peers standing by himself during recess. So the children decided to do something about it and went over to hang out with the other student.
That instance may have seemed small to some, but it had made an impact on those four students. Then, around springtime in 2017, Hunter Crider, Wayde Pope, Emily Ryan and Tiona Stone wrote a letter to Principal Mary Ellen Speidel explaining how some students were by themselves at recess, adding that "everyone needs a buddy."
The students, all part of the Kiwanis K-Kids leadership group, wanted to find a way for other students to not feel left out and form new friends for those that had none, no matter how long they had been at the school. It was decided to raise money for a "buddy bench" where students looking for someone to talk to or play with at recess could sit and other children could step in and be that friend they needed.
"People that had a bad day or just need someone to talk to, they'll go sit on the bench," Ryan said. "People will look out for someone sitting on the bench and will come up to them and talk to them."
The idea was credited to be started in 2013 by Christian Bucks from Pennsylvania who had been researching schools when his family had plans to move to Germany. Bucks found out one school had a "buddy bench" where children needing friends could sit allowing for other students to help.
Bucks' family never did move to Germany but the idea of the bench stuck with Bucks and he presented it before his principal who approved it for the school's playground. The concept has since continued to spread.
"This reduces a lot of isolation," Counselor Marie Bracciale said.
In Port Orange, Speidel met with the students who then learned how to complete and request for proposal and research what it would take to purchase a bench. After submitting the proposal, the students began raising funds and sought out donations. According to Bracciale, the students were able to raise around $350 and received around $200 in donations, which meant they would soon have a bench at the school.
And at the beginning of May, a large package arrived at the school. It was the Buddy Bench. Now all the students have to do is pick a spot to put the bench, then start looking for students who need a friend.
"That's what the buddy bench does, it promotes inclusion," Speidel said. "So no one is left behind. "
