Main Message: This Project Cornerstone book of the month focuses on building interpersonal relationships and the Social Competency asset category. It also shows how caring adults can help create opportunities for friendships to bloom, even when misconceptions, prejudice and fear are obstacles.

Best recipe for friendship: Get to know me!

At the beginning of the story, the narrator is teased, ridiculed and excluded by the new boy in the neighborhood, Jeremy. With the help of a supportive adult, the narrator becomes empowered to stand up to Jeremy’s verbal and relational bullying behaviors. Their misinformed perception of each other initially prevented them from becoming friends. Thanks to the special recipe for Enemy Pie (spending time together, getting to know each other, and discovering similar interests), their friendship blooms.

In this ABC lesson, each student created their own special recipe for friendship pie. Take a moment to ask your child to share with you the secret ingredients in their friendship pie! These secret ingredients are the friendship boosters that will help your child connect with others, find common ground, and build assets!

It is fun to practice friendship boosters and the tools your child has learned in the ABC lessons this year. These tools empower kids to choose how to react when social difficulties arise. With your help, your child will gain confidence and resilience that are essential for success in social situations. Your role as “#1 Asset Builder” will help your child bloom!
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I hope you have enjoyed hearing about our ABC program this year. More tools and strategies to improve school climate will be discussed in next year’s ABC Program. Please contact me, Stephanie Barada, at Stephanie.Barada@yahoo.com to join me as an ABC Cornerstone Volunteer for the 2012-13 school year! There are lots of great ways to contribute to this program at Covington and to make a difference in our children’s lives.

For more information on Project Cornerstone, check out www.projectcornerstone.org.