Title: Budlong Buddies (Closing the Gap)
Grades: 1st and 2nd (with facilitation from 7th and 8th)
Overview:
Our "Closing the Gap” intervention “Budlong Buddies” was designed to help students develop interpersonal skills, identify school resources that support their development, and build “tomorrow’s leaders”, as referenced in the school’s motto. The program will give seventh and eighth grader student leaders or “Buddies” the opportunity to lead lessons and activities with first and second classrooms at least once a month throughout the academic year. The activities and/or lessons for each month are theme-based, in order to provide focus and consistency to the program. First and second graders will be able to look to the student leaders as friends, mentors and support resources within the school environment. Additionally, the counseling team will be able to free up resources to focus on a wider array of student needs and school goals, since the “Buddies” will be able to cover the majority of systemic interventions with the younger grades. The program “Buddies” will work directly with the school’s counseling team to ensure proper training and evaluation metrics for each month’s programming.
Relevant Needs Assessment Data:
Grades: 1st and 2nd (with facilitation from 7th and 8th)
Overview:
Our "Closing the Gap” intervention “Budlong Buddies” was designed to help students develop interpersonal skills, identify school resources that support their development, and build “tomorrow’s leaders”, as referenced in the school’s motto. The program will give seventh and eighth grader student leaders or “Buddies” the opportunity to lead lessons and activities with first and second classrooms at least once a month throughout the academic year. The activities and/or lessons for each month are theme-based, in order to provide focus and consistency to the program. First and second graders will be able to look to the student leaders as friends, mentors and support resources within the school environment. Additionally, the counseling team will be able to free up resources to focus on a wider array of student needs and school goals, since the “Buddies” will be able to cover the majority of systemic interventions with the younger grades. The program “Buddies” will work directly with the school’s counseling team to ensure proper training and evaluation metrics for each month’s programming.
Relevant Needs Assessment Data:
- 55% of first and second graders reported having experienced bullying as either a victim or witness
- 55% of first and second graders asserted that having more friends would make them feel happier at school
- 63% of first and second graders reported a desire to learn more about how to make friends.
In line with the ASCA National Model, we have included the "Closing the Gap Action Plan". It provides a detailed overview of the resources, ASCA competencies/indicators, and projected data for our "Closing the Gap" intervention.