The School Buddies Program: Bringing a True Sense of Belonging to Our Parish School

Saint Michael Parish School is affectionately known as a “family of families,” and one longstanding program that has fostered this unique environment is the School Buddies program. Going back 30 years, the program pairs together middle school and elementary students. Connor Geraghty, Principal of SMPS, has observed how these relationships have transformed the school community.

“This program has unified our school and broken down barriers between grades,” Mr. Geraghty says. “By forming friendships throughout the building, students feel a true sense of belonging to the entire school rather than to just their classroom.”

School buddies do a variety of activities together. Older students help their younger buddies learn to read by listening to them practice. They also work on class projects, play together, and attend Mass together every Friday. While the older students have the responsibility to help, be strong examples, and look out for their younger buddies, the benefits from the program go both ways.

“The feeling of responsibility felt by the older students leads to true transformation of behavior,” Mr. Geraghty says. “The older students get to step outside of themselves by teaching the younger students and they truly learn more about themselves through these interactions.”

Through these mentor relationships, the younger children look up to their older buddies and see them as models for their own behavior and academic growth. Entrusted with this real responsibility, the older children show a great deal of kindness and consideration for others.

Mr. Geraghty notes that many of the eighth-grade students have said that having a kindergarten buddy was a highlight of their time at Saint Michael. School buddies help each other grow in practical ways, but the program also builds up the whole community and gives all of the students a deeper sense of belonging.

“Our School Buddies program is an essential part of our Catholic school and a key component of how we build Catholic community between grade levels,” Mr. Geraghty says. “This tradition fosters connection, community, and friendship among our PreK through eighth-grade classrooms.”

The program develops lifelong virtues, as students exercise kindness, compassion, and empathy — skills that they will all take into the future. Their experience will help them build faithful community wherever they go, and it all begins right here in our parish school.

“The School Buddies program is really all about stewardship through teaching students how sharing their God-given gifts and talents impacts others and builds up the Kingdom of God,” Mr. Geraghty says. “The joy on the faces of our students when they are playing, reading, helping, and serving with their buddies speaks to this essential aspect of stewardship.”

If you would like to learn more about Saint Michael Parish School, please visit the school website at www.stmikesolympia.org.