Dozens of excited young students greeted Hartford Seminary staff members when they delivered a “buddy bench” to the Noah Webster Micro Society Magnet School in Hartford’s West End on May 9.

The donation was the culmination of a program the Seminary sponsored with Arigatou International Prayer and Action for Children last fall. The program focused on interfaith approaches to prayer for children. The “action” was to donate the buddy bench.

Buddy benches are used to foster kindness and caring in young children. Children are asked to sit on the buddy bench if they are looking for a playmate. They are also coached to invite anyone on the bench to play.

Noah Webster is a magnet school that uses a Micro Society theme. According to its website, the school community integrates mathematics, writing, science and social studies into the curriculum, weaving it throughout the academic day. “Our students are all employed in ventures that encourage them to be productive and responsible citizens within our learning community.”

Also located in Hartford’s West End, Hartford Seminary is a non-denominational and interfaith graduate school for religious and theological studies with a mission that includes bringing people of different faiths together.

Noah Webster Assistant Principal Vernice Duke arranged for the students to greet Hartford Seminary staff members.

“When you sit on the bench and you’re by yourself, what happens?” she asked the students, and one replied: “You want to get a friend.”