Joseph Wickham-Vilaubi, Life Scout from Scouts BSA 303A, had difficulty making friends during his years at Mint Canyon Elementary School when he was growing up. As someone with autism it wasn’t easy for him to connect with other children and participate in conversation. Despite the tough years as a young child, he didn’t let this dictate how he views life.
Now as a 16-year-old and working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in the Scout BSA Program, he developed a project that he hopes will make an impact and help other children overcome the same challenges he once did. On Saturday morning, Wickham-Vilaubi had the help of his parents and Scout members to install the first-ever Mint Canyon Elementary School buddy bench, a place where children can create friendships with others who may feel lonely or excluded. “I just wanted to help the kids here that also have similar disabilities and challenges, that way they can make friends,” said Wickham-Vilaubi.
Wickham-Vilaubi began his brainstorming of the buddy bench idea last summer and pitched it to Mint Canyon Elementary School Principal Paulette Volmer in a formal presentation in December for her approval. He held a yard and bake sale to raise money for the bench and contacted many businesses to make the idea into a reality. Now, finally witnessing his hard work come to life, he described the feeling as strange because he anticipated this day “forever,” he said.
“Now it’s finally here, and no.
