Lil V and her Buddy Club.

My daughter, Little V, has a big heart. She is friends with everybody and works hard to make sure everyone feels included and loved. She and 7 other 2nd graders at her school even started a club with this very purpose. They founded the Buddy Club after hearing a bully prevention lecture in class. 

In
 the
 students’
own 
words,
the 
purpose 
of 
the 
group 
is
 “to 
watch 
out 
for
 bullies, 
prevent 
fights, 
teach
 kids 
to
 stand up 
for 
themselves
 and 
look
 for
 kids that
 are
 sad”. 

To
 advertise 
this 
group, 
the kids 

made 
posters
 that 
are 
hung 
around
 the
 school, announced 
on 
the 
school
 intercom
 encouraging
 all
 to
 join
 the
 club, 
presented 
to 
each
 class
 the 
purpose
 of 
the
 club
 and 
made
 a
 link 
to 
our
 school 
website 
for 
parents 
and
 students 
to 
view.

 Because 
of 
this 
group, 
a 
“Buddy
Bench” 
was
 ordered
 and
 placed
 on 
the
 playground
 so 
group 
members
 can 
help 
those at 
the 
bench.

 Any member 
of 
the 
Buddy 
Club
 
will 
come
 to 
the
 aid
 of
 anyone 
in
 need. 



The
 group
 meets
 at
 least 
once 
a 
month
 over 
lunch 
to
 brainstorm 
techniques 
in
 helping 
on 
the 
playground. 



At 
the 
beginning 
of
 each 
new
 school 
year,
 the
 club 
will
 talk 
to 
the
 student
 body 
about 
how 
to 
be 
a
 buddy 
on 
the 
playground. 


This 
student 
led
 group 
is now 
a 
permanent
 part 
of
 our
 school. It was an amazing success. My daughter used it more than once. When Little V's friend "Mary" got a new best friend "Lexi", there was some conflict. Lexi did not like Little V and didn't want to play with her or let Mary play with her either. So, my Little V went and sat on the bench. Soon, fellow member "Carlos" came running up and listened to the problem. Then, they went together to talk to Lexi. With a neutral third party, the problem was quickly worked out. This is a way for kids to work their problems out on their own. This is kids supporting each other. It is amazing! The counselor wrote up what they did and submitted it for a Kansas Promising Practice Award. We won! We were then entered into the national award and we were selected as a 2014 Promising Practice award winner by the Character Education Partnership. This is what she wrote about the impact this has had on our school so far after just one year: "Students 
are 
becoming 
less 
worried
 about 
specific 
clicks 
of 
friends 
and 
are 
becoming 
more 
interested 
in 
helping 
out 
others.
 For example,
 instead
 of 
fighting 
over 
the 
soccer 
ball 
at 
recess, 
they
 are
 learning 
to
 teach 
each
 other 
how 
to 
play
 soccer. 

Because 
of
this club,
 office 
referrals 
are
 going 
down 
as 
students 
are
 spending 
their
 energy 
on 
helping 
instead 
of 
hurting 
others. 

The 
more 
students 
see 
they 
have
 the 
peers
 on 
their
 side,
 they 
will 
feel
 less
 worried
 about
 recess, 
bullying 
and 
friendships;
 this
 will
 then
 lead
 to
 fewer 
students 
missing 
school
(an 
increase 
in 
attendance 
rate)

Daily, 
students 
are
 asking 
to
 join 
the
 buddy 
club
 and 
are 
excited
 to 
be
 a 
part
 of
 this 
movement.


 There for 
a 
strong 
sense 
of
 community 
and
 pride 
is 
being
 created
 in 
our
school.
" That, my friends makes this Mama so proud. She has already said she can't wait to plant a new Buddy Club at her next school. I can't wait to see her making a difference anywhere we go.