Law of Attraction Magazine December, 2015 | Page 52

'Buddy Bench' Creat es A Saf e Spot For Shy
Cl assmat es To Find Friends
Everyone deserves a pal on t he pl ayground.
Cameron Keady Good News Associate Editor, The Huffington Post

This school has some truly stand-up
students. A group of kids at McIntyre
Elementary School, in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, have created a special
bench to make sure their fellow
classmates aren't left out on the
playground. Called the "Buddy Bench,"
students can use the seat as a safe and
supportive place to let others know they'd
like to be included in playtime, but may be
too shy to ask. Amanda Hartle "The school
community, students, parents, and faculty
understand that the buddy bench is a tool
for kids to use to advocate for themselves,
to always include others and to promote a
safe, respectful and responsible
environment for all children," Regina
Farrell, school counselor at McIntyre
Page 52 - December, 2015

Elementary, told The Huffington Post.
The concept of the Buddy Bench is
simple: Students who want to partake
in playground games and activities, but
may feel hesitant, can take a seat,
which signifies to other children on the
playground that they may need an
extra boost to participate. Amanda
Hartle "The bench is a powerful
anti-bullying tool," Farrell explained.
"It builds kid?s self-esteem to ask
others to play with them. Likewise,
reaching out to a peer who is feeling
left out is significant as well."
The idea for the bench came about last
year, when Farrell was conducting a
leadership group to help students