Sunday, November 9, 2025
A new Buddy Bench has been installed at Forest Lake Elementary School in Wantagh, offering a place where students can signal they’re looking for a friend — courtesy of a Girl Scout who once felt shy on the playground herself.
Julianna Simon, a sixth grade student at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Regional School in Bellmore and member of Girl Scout Troop 3209, unveiled the bench by the playground swings, behind the school on Oct. 6. Family members, school staff and local officials attended the ceremony. The project was part of Julianna’s Silver Award, the highest honor available to Girl Scouts in sixth through eighth grades, which recognizes projects that create lasting community change.
For her Silver Award project, Julianna set out to make the school a friendlier place — and a Buddy Bench, she explained, gives students a spot to sit if they’re feeling lonely or looking for someone to play with.
“It encourages everyone to be kind and include others,” she said. “I worked hard on this project, from planning and fundraising to getting the bench installed.”
Julianna brainstormed the project with school psychologist Emily Bogart, discussing possible locations, sizes and designs. With approval from the Wantagh School District, she chose the fence by the swings behind the school as the spot for the bench. She picked out the wood from Home Depot, and her father, Michael, helped her cut and assemble it. The project cost around $300, receiving $80 in donations.
Her father said he was proud of his daughter’s accomplishment and especially pleased to see her speak on the microphone as she presented the bench during the unveiling ceremony.
“It’s really cool,” he said. “She’s really shy, so for her to come out of her shell and talk on the microphone is pretty cool.”
Julianna attended Forest Lake, at 3100 Beltagh Ave., and often didn’t have others to play with on the playground, according to her mother, Nicole Denn-Simon. Her mother said Julianna is shy and anxious, and would sometimes sit alone during recess.
“She would come home and sometimes she would be upset because her perception would be that nobody would want to play with her and she would be by herself,” her mother said.
Julianna wasn’t interested in playground sports, Denn-Simon said. Instead, she would sit off to the side and play with chalk or a toy while other students played games. The bench, she added, gives students a way to show they’re looking for a friend to play with simply by taking a seat.
For decorations, Julianna painted flowers, hearts and animals on the bench, including an image of “Fluffy,” a gray stuffed rabbit she has possessed since she was 2 years old. Across the backrest, she added the saying, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” According to Denn-Simon, Julianna researched quotes about friendship and inclusiveness before choosing that one.
“She wanted a saying that resonated with the other kids,” her mother said. “She narrowed it down to four, and she settled with that one.”
Forest Lake Principal Thomas Burke called the bench “a great addition” that gives students a place to go when they’re seeking a friend.
“It came from a great place,” Burke said. “Julianna has come such a long way. It’s great for her to put it together for so many kids here.”
Julianna’s older sister, Isabella, a Girl Scout in Troop 3105, holds the title of Miss Wantagh 2025, part of an academic and service-based program that encourages young women to give back. Isabella said she is proud of her sister’s Silver Award project and looks forward to seeing what Julianna does next to serve the community.
“It means a lot to see her do something like this and, on top of that, speaking too,” Isabella said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing a great job as a sister and a role model, because she looks up to me and I love that. I’m very proud of her.”
At the unveiling, Julianna thanked her family, Bogart and Burke for their support in creating the bench. She expressed pride to have built a space where other anxious students could connect and make friends.
Her mother said she was happy that her daughter built the bench, knowing the positive impact it would have on other anxious children looking for a friend. She added that she was proud to see Julianna speak and present the bench at the event and hopes it marks the beginning of a new chapter for her.
“She seems to be turning a new leaf,” her mother said. “She seems to be getting more comfortable, so I’m hoping that this is the beginning of seeing her anxiety coming down a little bit.”
