Students at Gurney Elementary School now have a new addition to their recess area – a Buddy Bench. A Buddy Bench is a bench that helps create friendship on the playground. Students looking for a buddy to play with can simply sit on the bench to alert others that he or she is looking for a playmate. Girl Scout Troop 819, comprised of 13 Gurney Elementary second grade Brownie Girl Scouts, under the direction of Kim Stec, constructed the Buddy Bench for their “Better World for Girls” award. This award, along with the “Tell A Story” badge requires that the troop do something to educate and inspire others in their community to make it a better place. With this in mind, the girls decided a Buddy Bench for the Gurney Playground was what they wanted to do.
“The girls wanted to give back to Gurney by doing something special for the school they love,” said Troop Mother Kim Stec. “We’re going to spread the message of inclusion and kindness with the bench, a very Girl Scouty thing to do!”
The Troop has been together since they were in Kindergarten and had just graduated from Daisy Scouts to Brownie Scouts. Using the money they raised from the Girl Scout Cookie sale, they are proud to have completed the Gurney Elementary Buddy Bench as their first project as Brownie Scouts.
