A “buddy bench” at Harry W. Lockley Early Learning Center is in memory of Judi Colaluca Masters. (Contributed)

By Annabelle Chipps, New Castle News

Two “buddy benches” were placed at Harry W. Lockley Early Learning Center in honor of personal care assistant Judi Colaluca Masters, who passed away in November at age 68.

Masters worked at New Castle Area School District for 25 years. According to her sister, Karen Colaluca, Masters fostered a love of learning in her students, helped them with essential life skills and served as a positive role model.

“Judi always made sure all the kids felt loved and included. The bench, to us, means she’s still looking out for all the students. She loved the students like they were all her family,” Colaluca said

The idea for a buddy bench is based on a book of the same name about a place for kids to sit when lonely.

“The other students’ job is to check the bench while they are playing to see if someone needs a friend/buddy,” Colaluca said. “Buddy bench equals nobody alone.”

A librarian at Lockley, Colaluca was reminded of her sister when NCASD superintendent Dr. Gregg Paladina donated the book. She read the book to each of her library classes and asked them to color their own buddy bench.

Masters’ family has now placed a red buddy bench on the kindergarten playground and a blue bench on the first- and second-grade playground in her honor. On May 23, her sons revealed the benches at an elementary school assembly.

Before then, nobody had seen the benches aside from Colaluca and the janitor, Andre Gentsy, who put them together. Each one has a message carved into it, reading, “Friendship starts here. Buddy bench–nobody alone.”

This summer, the schools will be cementing each bench to the ground so that they will last. The goal of Masters’ family is to place benches at more schools and let kids know they are not alone.

Annabelle Chipps is a recent graduate of Slippery Rock University and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns.