Alarna M (3B) Celebrates ‘Come Play With Me’ Bench Installation

This week we were pleased to see the installation of the “Come Play With Me Bench”, which was inspired by the designs of 3B student Alarna M.  The bench has already proved a magnet for students and is a great meeting place to gather and socialise.  Congratulations to Alarna for winning the competition to design the bench.  Year 6 students Abel and Katie caught up with Alarna to get some feedback on this experience.

What inspired your design?
My inspiration was my  friends coming together and holding hands. This is a form of wellbeing, symbolising happiness, acceptance and comfort. Each hand above the chair says a word representing wellbeing.

What did you think when you heard that there was competition to design a wellbeing bench?
When I first saw the posters around the school I instantly thought “i’m going to draw a chair and enter the competition”. Nervously I gave the drawing to my teacher, but at the time I didn’t think I would win.

How did it make you feel when you saw your design as a bench in the JS playground?
When I first saw the final product of the chair in place, I thought “This is amazing, and very exciting!“.  I hope that this chair gets a lot of use and many new friendships are created there.

The project was an initiative of the student-led Wellbeing Working Party, and supported by the ongoing eSmart program, creating a Safe and Supportive Community here at Macquarie College.