Buddy Benches Spark New Friendships at SISD Elementary Schools

As a kindergartner at Sory Elementary, Abby would often sit on a wooden bench underneath a tree during recess. It was called the Buddy Bench, and kids sat on it as a way of letting other students know, “I need someone to play with.”

Other kids would answer the call and approach Abby to talk or play. However, the wooden Buddy Bench deteriorated over time, and it was removed a few years later. It’s still a favorite memory of Abby’s.

“Recess is the time you have a break from school and homework,” said Abby, now a fourth grader at Sory. “I think everybody should get to have fun at recess.”

That was the idea behind her proposal at the beginning of the school year to other members of the Sory Student Lighthouse Team, a group of Husky Leaders dedicated to promoting a positive school culture on campus. It’s a part of Sory’s Leader in Me program, which expanded to all Sherman ISD elementary schools this year.

“We actually set it as our Wildly Important Goal (WIG) this year,” said Andrea Wiggins, Sory’s Leader in Me coordinator. “Our initial thought was to get two benches, one for each of our playgrounds at Sory.”

The team was later invited by the Sherman Chamber of Commerce to pitch their idea to community leaders as part of a Shark Tank-style selection process. However, the fundraising pitch had to be for at least $10,000, and two benches didn’t come close.

That’s when the vision for what the students could accomplish grew, and the request expanded to provide enough funding to install two Buddy Benches at all seven SISD elementary schools.

“It means more people can make friends, and that’s a good thing,” Abby said. “When you make more friends, you can have a better environment and a better community.”

Students competed for funds against non-profit organizations from across the community and had only a matter of minutes to convince members of this year's Leadership Sherman class of the worthiness of their cause. Although they didn’t win, the pitch spread the word about the Buddy Bench initiative.

“It lit the fire of the Sherman community,” Wiggins said. “People started reaching out and asking how much a Buddy Bench was.”

Eight weeks later, all benches were funded, thanks to several generous community donors. The new benches were delivered this spring, and are sturdy and more durable to withstand the weather. 

To promote and demonstrate their use, each campus received a book called “The Buddy Bench” to share with students. Fairview Elementary School counselor Theresa Littlefield recently read it aloud to classes before they went to recess.

“If you see somebody sitting out there on a Buddy Bench, go over to them and offer to play with them,” Littlefield said to an attentive group of second graders. “If you’re alone, don’t be afraid to use the Buddy Bench.”

The Buddy Benches offer another way for students to build new relationships and create a more welcoming atmosphere at campuses. When students take a seat on a Buddy Bench, they’re sure to find a friend fast.

“Sometimes kids are too shy and don’t know how to go ask somebody if they can play with them,” Littlefield said. “With this, they’re guaranteed to know they can find someone to play with.”

Wiggins added: “It’s exciting to spread kindness around the entire community because culture is everything. We believe in fostering a strong culture, and this helps our students feel welcome.”

Thanks to following donors who made the Buddy Benches possible: Western Heights Church of Christ, First United Bank, Mike and the late Janie Bates, Sherman Rotary Club, Red River ER, Joe Brown Law (Joe and Megan Brown), Flying G Ag Solutions, Sean and Arie Vanderveer, David Bayless, Tom Johnson, and Clay and Laura Barnett.