Fifth Grade Art Project Promotes Kindness and Inclusion
Fifth graders in the National Elementary Art Honor Society painted and installed a “buddy bench” on the lower school playground, a place where students can sit if they’re looking for someone to spend time with at recess.
NEAHS members wanted to create a project that would have a positive impact on students and the school community. One member recalled a similar bench at a school he previously attended, and the group adapted the idea for Barstow’s playground area. The concept is simple: a student who is looking for someone to play with can sit on the bench, signaling to others that they would like to be included. Classmates who see someone on the bench are encouraged to reach out and invite them to play.
The National Elementary Art Honor Society is an organization for students who want to make positive contributions to the world through art. Led by lower school art teacher Polly Blair, the Barstow chapter of the NEAHS began in 2025 and is open to all fifth graders who are interested in using art to make a difference. To remain active, the chapter must fulfil a yearly service requirement; in addition to the buddy bench project, the group met with the kindergarten class earlier this year and helped them glaze ceramic bowls as gifts for their senior buddies.
