“For whatever reason, if they’re having a bad day, they can sit on the bench and let somebody know that they need a friend.”
– Acacia Woodley (age 15) Founder of Tiny Girl Big Dream
Thanks to the help of a generous community member, four random elementary schools were chosen to install Friendship Benches for their schools – McKinley, Sierra Madre Elementary, Hamilton, and Madison.
Friendship benches, created by a young girl with a big dream Acacia Woodley, are a way to promote friendship and kindness. Friendship Benches are made of recycled milk bottles and are kid sized to fit in schools. Each is hand-painted with words of encouragement and positive character traits such as hope, respect, listen, dream and encourage
Having a bad day? Take a seat on a Friendship Bench and experience the kindness of your friends or make some new ones.
Here is what we have heard so far…
“Friendship benches have help our students make a friend and be a friend. It has become another way to spread friendship at Hamilton.”
– Principal Frances Weissenberger – Hamilton
