St. C. Elementary students help bring ‘buddy bench’ to school

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — An idea to help fellow students sparked two brothers to raise funds over the summer to help purchase a “buddy bench” for their elementary school.

After hearing their mother and St. Clairsville Elementary School third grade teacher Melissa Shallcross talk about the idea behind the buddy bench, 8-year-old Cade Shallcross, a third-grader, and his brother 5-year-old Cole, a kindergartner, got to work. The elementary school students held a series of lemonade stands this past summer leading up to the start of the school year in an effort to raise funds to purchase the inclusive bench — a seat meant to allow a student who feels alone and is looking for someone to talk to have a place to go for company or for someone to play with.

Within a two-week period of time, the pair managed to raise $635 toward the purchase of the buddy bench, surpassing their original goal of $400. The bench’s total cost was around $1,200.

“I thought it would be nice to raise some money because I felt like it was an important thing,” Cade said.

Melissa Shallcross added that this is not the first time the boys have used a lemonade stand to raise funds for a good cause.

The remaining funds to purchase the bench were contributed by St. Clairsville Elementary Principal Amber Galloway through the principal fund. Shallcross said when they approached Galloway with the idea, “she (Galloway) found a way to make it happen.”

“She is always open to new ideas and always supports her staff and students,” Shallcross said of Galloway.

Galloway said the bench embodies everything school staff members are trying to teach their students.

“At St. Clairsville Elementary School we don’t just teach academics, we teach the whole child. I am proud to support student-led initiatives. It is my goal to make our elementary more student centered. These boys had a wish to bring a buddy bench to our school and without hesitation, that’s what they did. I was wowed to see their vision and fully support it. The buddy bench will be in place to teach our students about empathy and inclusion,” she said.

Galloway said after discussing the project with Shallcross, they decided to purchase a bench that was almost entirely made of recycled milk jugs, which goes along with the third grade’s recycling initiative. She said the brothers were involved in the selection and customization of the bench which reads “St. Clairsville Elementary Buddy Bench” in red lettering.

As the bench was delivered Wednesday, Cade and Cole selected the “perfect location” inside the elementary school’s playground area and proudly helped guide it into place. Cade said his classmates and fellow students happily took turns sitting on the bench once it was installed.

Galloway said news of the new bench and its purpose was well received by both staff and students.

“I’m most looking forward to by the end of the school year, to see someone sit on it for its real purpose,” Cade said, adding that when that day comes, he will take a seat next to the person that is in need of a friend.