by Annie Cox ’24
March 4, 2024
It’s a busy afternoon in the library lobby at 1:35- students are studying and chatting. USN’s high school BSU is about to start their lower school buddy program.
The Black Student Union, BSU, has continued their buddy program with Black lower school students from USN. The buddies are groups of high school members of the affinity group and Black lower school students in either second, third, or fourth grade.
Each high schooler is paired up with 1-4 lower school buddies. Ten high schoolers participate with the 30 lower school students and they meet together depending on grade level: third grade meets with their buddies every Wednesday and second and fourth grade meet together every other Friday.
Members of the BSU play games and talk with their lower school buddies as part of the mentoring program. (via the Peabody Press)
Tre Sheats ‘24, president of BSU, says buddies are matched up based on personalities. Once paired, buddies play games together and talk.
“We have a good time with the buddies… We play games with a lot of the black lower schoolers, we draw,” Sheats said. “We’re kind of mentors for [the lower school students] and they can talk to us about anything.. whatever [the lower school buddies] are going through.”
The community that BSU and the buddy program provides is one of the reasons Vice President, Kylee Abramson ‘24 joined, and became more involved in, the affinity group.
Members of the BSU play games and talk with their lower school buddies as part of the mentoring program. (via the Peabody Press)
“My favorite thing about BSU is just getting together with the whole African American community at USN…having that time, even though it’s only for a little bit, to just come together and feel like you’re included in something,” Abramson said. “No matter what your background is outside of BSU, it is a really fun experience to have.”
