My Chance to Be an Older Sister

by Rose K., 8th Grade

Having a kindergarten buddy has been one of the great things about 8th grade.

Each year, 8th graders get paired with a kindergartener, and throughout the year, they get to play together and form a relationship. I have three older sisters. I’ve never really got to be the older sister or a role model. I think it’s really nice to be that for my kindergarten buddy, Kate, because I know that she is looking up to me, and whatever I do, she does. It makes me want to strive to be better.

Hanging out with her makes me so happy, and it makes her happy, too! The Buddy Bash is one of the many activities Trinity puts together for K8 Buddies. The parents got to meet each other and chat while the students went through different stations. The stations all had different activities like drawing, corn hole, and jump rope. They made the whole experience fun and light. I got to meet my buddy's parents, and it was really fun talking to them and becoming friends with another family. It was a super fun and cute way to bond with your buddy.

I also got to play with my buddy, and though the event was only an hour, she became much more comfortable around me. The Buddy Bash really solidified our relationships with our buddies and their families. Our parents even organized a get-together for us outside of school. It’s really nice because whenever I see her she’s like, “I’m so excited to go see you outside of school!” It was a super cool, fun, and enjoyable experience for the 8th graders, kindergarteners, and the parents.

In the beginning, my buddy was a bit shy to talk to me, but now she’s really open with me and excited to see me. I’ve learned that it’s important to let people take their time. This experience has really taught me to be patient in forming connections.