However, under the direction of Lindsay Hagy '00, the program now includes children from Fairview and Bailey Park Elementary Schools. When she became director in 1996, there were only five Buddies. The next year, there were 40. Now there are 60. Every week, college Buddies visit their little Buddies' school to have lunch with them, hang out with them at recess, or go to class with them.
Buddies often meet after school to go for ice cream or to have dinner at the college dining halls.
The program holds group outings as well. Last semester, for instance, about 60 buddies went roller-skating in Marshalltown, iowa. Thanks to support from the Fund for Excellence, the Buddies Program will hold more group activities. We're using another part of the grant to help fund a new playground at Davis Elementary. We hope to use the remaining grant money to bring in speakers to offer more training for the college Buddies.