Elementary school students build bench with secret compartment to share messages of kindness
Wesley is reflecting on that day he started falling off the monkey bars at school.
“My leg got stuck,” the nine-year-old says, before adding that the rest of his limbs were being pulled to the ground by gravity.
“It felt like quicksand. Not good.”
Before we can appreciate the end of Wesley’s story, we need to know about the beginning of the bench he’s sitting on.
“We made it with power tools,” Wesley smiles, before imitating the noises each one made. “The electric sander sounds like ghzeeeee!”
Wesley built the bench with his classmates at the James Bay Community School, including Tesekla.
“It was so much fun,” Tesekla smiles, adding that painting the bench like a rainbow was her favourite part.
“I wish we made them every day!”
The project was part of their teacher Alyson King’s plan to create a place for positivity in the school, with a twist.
“Generally, these ‘Buddy Benches’ create places to where [students] can get a friend,” Alyson explains.
While their bench has certainly proven to be a venue for comfort, calm, and connection, there’s more.
“There’s a secret compartment!” Tesekla exclaims.
Alyson says the rainbow bench is all about empowering kids to cultivate kindness
“This compartment contains notes of gratitude to each other,” Alyson says, pointing to a plastic tube hidden underneath the bench.
All the students in the school can take a paper form that’s available available in every classroom, pen something positive about someone else, and deposit the note in that secret compartment underneath the rainbow bench.
“Showing kindness makes me feel really good,” Tesekla says. “And it makes other people feel really good too.”
Alyson empties the secret compartment daily and reads every note.
They range from “I really like your hat” and “thanks for helping me with my math” to “thank you for playing with me when no one wanted to play with me.”
“For these kids to recognize that they have a capacity to help their peers is pretty amazing,” Alyson smiles.
Every Thursday, the principal Marla Margetts shares some of the notes with the whole school during the morning announcements.
“The fact that they have such confidence to just say, ‘Hey, I love you,’ ‘You’re helpful,’ ‘You’re kind,’” Marla smiles. “We can learn a lot from kids."
That brings us back to Wesley, who says that he was saved from his monkey bars/quicksand predicament by a fellow student.
“Tosh came and pulled me out,” Wesley smiles. “It was really heroic of him and just wanted to thank him.”
So Wesley thanked him with a note full of grateful gold at the end of the rainbow bench.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.