A new rainbow-colored bench is being installed on the playground at Cane Bay Elementary, and the message behind it is pretty straightforward – in fact, it is inscribed on the bench.
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
Leah Scarmeas holds the title of American United Miss SC Jr. Teen 2023. She just wrapped up her freshman year at Cane Bay High.
As her first official community outreach project as a state titleholder, Scarmeas chose to raise funds to donate a Buddy Bench to Cane Bay Elementary, all while educating the elementary students on the buddy bench project and promoting friendship over bullying.
The idea of the Buddy Bench is it can serve as a safe place for a student on the playground during recess if they are feeling lonely. Hopefully, another student will take notice and join them to spread some love.
For the past three months, Scarmeas has frequently visited Cane Bay Elementary to read with the students – and spread the message of the buddy bench, and being a “buddy, not a bully.”
Scarmeas comes from a military family that has moved around during her upbringing; her father is in the Air Force. As a military child, Scarmeas said she understands the importance of fostering friendships out on a playground where one feels like “the new kid.”
“I’m the oldest – I have two younger siblings – and thinking about them getting bullied at school really makes me upset,” she said.
Scarmeas did a raffle fundraiser to put money toward having the bench made out of 100 percent recycled plastic material before presenting it to the school; Tom Fernandez of Fernandez Law, Inc. also helped sponsor the bench.
The bench arrived on the last day of school, and Scarmeas and Fernandez joined together for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony before inviting a handful of Cane Bay Elementary students – including her rising third-grade sister Toula – to try out the bench.
A small nameplate on the bench includes a quote from Dolly Parton: “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.” Scarmeas hopes to establish more Buddy Benches across the school district to continue promoting kindness among BCSD students.
“It is my hope that with this bench, and many more in the future across the district, we can eliminate loneliness and encourage buddies over bullies in our community elementary schools,” she said.