By Lizzy Roy

Salisbury Academy

SALISBURY — In the first full week of school, first-graders at Salisbury Academy were welcomed to the “big school” by their eighth-grade buddies.

Eighth-grade students read to their younger peers and presented them with “welcome to the big school” cards.

The first of many meetings that the two grades will have over the course of the year served as an opportunity for the students to meet their buddies, introduce themselves and share in some reading fun.

Regular reading sessions will take place over the course of the year. The two grades also will collaborate on a “kindness project” designed to bring joy to the entire school.

The buddy program nurtures leadership in older students while building community and a strong sense of belonging in Salisbury Academy’s younger learners, school leaders say.

“Serving as role models becomes a bigger and bigger part of our students’ character development as they progress through their time with us,” said Head of School Beverly Fowler.

“The buddy program is a wonderful example of the joy and community which come from fostering that leadership,” she added.