Binks Forest Elementary School Promotes Kindness By Installing A Buddy Bench
Buddy Ambassadors
After nearly a half-century in law enforcement, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Michael Gauger has seen more bullies than he cares to remember.
“I know bullies,” Gauger told students at Wellington’s Binks Forest Elementary School in October. “I see people who bully [in the jail]. If you start bullying, and you are very young, and you don’t change your ways, it gets worse.”
Longtime residents of Wellington, Gauger and his wife Phyllis came to Binks Forest to present the school with a Buddy Bench they donated. It’s the 16th bench to be placed at a Palm Beach County school as part of the Buddy Ambassadors program, a joint initiative of Mental Health America of Palm Beach County and local author Loverly Sheridan, who wrote the book Be a Buddy, Not a Bully.
The Buddy Ambassadors program was designed around Sheridan’s book, which tells the story of bullies on a school bus on the first day of school.
“Buddy Ambassadors lead by example,” Sheridan told the children during an assembly to dedicate the bench and recognize two students in each grade who had shown acts of kindness or compassion to their peers.
A Buddy Bench provides a safe spot for a child who is feeling sad, lonely or afraid to ask for a friend without having to necessarily say anything.
“The buddy program is teaching children how to be a buddy instead of a bully,” Gauger explained. “If somebody is being bullied, you come to their aid and help that child and let them know they’re important, you’re a friend and they’re not alone.”
It is all part of establishing a culture of kindness at the school, Principal Michella Levy said.
“Our goal at Binks Forest Elementary is not only to spread kindness but to inspire our students to be leaders and stand up against bullying,” Levy explained. “Every week, we recognize students from all grade levels caught being a student leader against bullying. Our school behavioral health counselor, Mrs. Hope Jackson, is even starting a student leadership program after school to teach students how to problem solve and help others with bullying situations.”
Tackling the bullying epidemic, and the fallout that often results, is something that Gauger feels passionate about. He works closely with Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness and sits on several boards of nonprofit organizations focusing on mental illness and drug or alcohol addictions.
“I have a master’s degree in social work, and I feel very strongly about the bullying program,” he said. “Bullying has resulted in some of the active shooter situations we’ve seen.”
The Gaugers have called Wellington home for three decades. Their children, now 27 and 34, are the product of Wellington schools. They paid $1,500 for the bench, which is inscribed with Gauger’s name, to say thank you.
“The Wellington community has been very good to me,” he said. “We decided to donate the bench because this is so important. These benches may deter future situations in schools by promoting kindness and giving students the chance to be there for one of their peers. While we may not be able to eliminate all bullying, we know these benches will reduce the instances and can foster new friendships that may not have happened otherwise.”
For more information on donating a Buddy Bench to local schools, contact Mental Health America of Palm Beach County at (561) 832-3755 or e-mail lsheridan@mentalhealthpbc.org. Learn more about the program at www.mentalhealthpbc.org.
