Find a Friend – Be a Friend
There is a special place to sit if you ever need a friend at IPA. Look for the bright blue bench located on the walkway between the two main buildings. Called a “Buddy Bench” this special seating area meant to promote friendship is the final product of one Grade 5 student’s Exhibition project.*
Madison Mizon (‘22) worked for a year and a half to bring her idea, inspired by a magazine article, to the IPA campus.
Madison Mizon (‘22) learned about the idea of a buddy bench from a Scholastic magazine article she read at the halfway point of fourth grade. “If you are lonely or need a friend to play with, you can go sit on the Buddy Bench,” explained Mizon.
“I went to ask Mr. Ross (Elementary Principal) if it would be okay to bring a buddy bench to IPA. I wanted to do it right away because it would make an impact on our community,” says Mizon. Ross knew the process of either obtaining or building a bench might take some planning; he suggested to Mizon that she wait until the next year when she would have an assignment that called for an involved project–the Grade 5 Exhibition.
As soon as she started fifth grade, Mizon wasted no time. “I knew that the exhibition project took a lot of time, concentration, I wanted to get started as soon as possible.” In addition to Principal Ross, Mizon obtained a go-ahead from Head of School, Gerald Teramae. “I started to look at ideas to raise money to buy a bench so that when I was paired with my mentor, I would be ready.”
Mizon’s exhibition project mentor was Kerri Vincent, Elementary Office Manager. “When I talked to Ms. Kerri about raising money, she suggested another route, building a bench. We did research and found out it would be cheaper to buy material and build a bench. She introduced me to Mr. Steven Porcello (an IPA parent and current Vice-President of the Island Pacific Academy Parents Association). He works in construction and because of that he knew lots of people who could help.”
Next for Mizon were meetings with Porcello and Rich Griffin, IPA Facilities Manager, to find and select a bench design. With the help of Porcello’s connections, materials for the bench were all donated, including the time and services to construct and paint it. “Mr. Porcello even knew a man with a professional paint sprayer. That man donated the paint and his time when the bench was ready,” explains Mizon.
Students meet on the IPA Buddy Bench to find a friend during recess. Creation of the buddy bench was the end product of Mizon’s Grade 5 Exhibition project marking her completion of the Primary Years Programme (PYP).
Once the bench was installed, Mizon explained the idea and use of the buddy bench to the IPA community by speaking at a Monday Assembly for the PYP (Grades K-5) and at two town hall meetings (grades 6-8 and 9-12). And finally–after a year and a half in the making–she presented a report on the buddy bench to her fellow Grade 5 classmates to finish her Exhibition project assignment.
How to use the IPA Buddy Bench:
- The buddy bench is a place to sit if you need or want a friend.
- People of all ages can use the buddy bench, teachers too, if they need a friend.
- If you see someone sitting on the buddy bench, you should go over and introduce yourself; ask the person if he/she would like to go talk or play.
- There should only be one person sitting on the buddy bench at a time; if two people sit on the buddy bench they can introduce themselves to each other and go play.
What NOT to do with the IPA Buddy Bench:
- Don’t sit on or use the buddy bench if you already have a friend with you.
- Don’t leave things like books or backpacks on the buddy bench.
- The bench is not part of the play structure; please don’t use it for climbing or standing on.
- Please help take care of the bench.
*During the final year of elementary school in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP), students, carry out an extended, in-depth, collaborative project known as the PYP Exhibition. The exhibition project showcases a student’s cumulative learning from the elementary grades (at IPA K-5) and is an opportunity to see the IB learner profile traits in action. Students are assessed by how well their chosen topic or project benefits the school community. Read more about assessed curriculum in the PYP here.
