Anderson Elementary adds Buddy Benches to grow friendships

Kevin Kerber, Podcast Reporter

Photo by Emma Urban
Anderson Elementary school has made a new way to include everyone. With their Buddy Bench, a child can sit there when they are in need of a buddy.

Anderson Elementary has put in Buddy Benches for students to find friends. These Buddy Benches are for students who are new to the school, are looking for new friends to play with, or their friends are not at school. They will sit on the bench if they want to make a new friend then someone will come up to them wanting to play.

Anderson Elementary put in Buddy Benches as a project of an Eagle Scout troop member to help kids find friends and not feel left out. The Eagle Scout and his team installed the benches by hand.

One of the biggest concerns of parents who just heard of the Buddy Benches is if their student uses it they might feel singled out and get teased.

Anderson Elementary teacher Roxy Humphrey said, “We took great care to educate the staff, who in turn, helped our students know the purpose of the Buddy Bench.” Humphrey said the students all know that the Buddy Bench is not something out of the normal so nobody finds it unusual to use it.

Roxy Humphrey and her son, Carson Humphrey, worked on putting together this project for their school. This is for her sons Eagle Scout project and it helps the kids find new friends. They worked with the school in order to get these benches approved.

Anderson Elementary teacher Carrie Carroll said, “Roxy and her son are the ones who started the Buddy Benches.” Caroll said Roxy Humphrey and her son brought up the idea to the school board as a way for students to interact.

The Buddy Benches at Anderson Elementary did not take long to put in according to Carson Humphrey, who helped put them in with his team. Carson Humphrey and his team of Eagle Scouts put in the benches at Anderson Elementary.

Eagle Scout Carson Humphrey said, “The Buddy Benches didn’t take long at all to put in because we prepared them before getting there and they’re all wood so they’re inexpensive.” Humphrey said the benches are inexpensive and easy to install for the kids.

The Buddy Benches at Anderson Elementary were put in by Carson Humphrey. He is the son of a teacher there, Roxy Humprey and together they convinced the board to install the benches. Carson and his team of Eagle Scouts swiftly installed the benches very inexpensively. These Buddy Benches help the students find new friends when they have no one to play with.