FEBRUARY 2011

Harmony Hills Student Explores Outdoors with Buddy Bison

Winter break is a marvelous time to head outside. Harmony Hills Elementary School (Silver Spring, MD) 3rd grade teacher Bethany Czaja recounts how a lucky student spent his break with Buddy Bison.

Over our Winter Break, one student was chosen to take the Buddy Backpack home and document his adventures with Buddy. This student had to make a commitment to go outside and explore during his vacation, instead of sitting inside and watching television or playing video games. Erick M. was chosen and was very excited. His older sister took him to Wheaton Regional Park, and they braved the cold temperatures to play with Buddy! His entry reads: "We went to play on the swings, and me and Buddy Bison went sliding and we had a fun day." His illustration shows their adventures together at the park!

 NOVEMBER 2010

Officer Clowers and HORSESteely Dan Trot into Buddy Bison Schools

Most of you have seen police officers in patrol cars or on bikes—and many of you have seen mounted police on horseback. Officer Mariea Clowers, a US Park Police officer, helps keep us safe from atop her partner Steely Dan—a grey thoroughbred horse.

Mariea and Steely Dan have made visits to Buddy Bison schools, including Harmony Hills Elementary School. These 3 and 4 year olds just learned how to write letters and will be sending some of their first to Officer Mariea.  Here is what some of the kids from other schools had to say.The kids learned about horse adaptations and the honesty and hard work it takes to be a park police officer.

Michael, Grade 3 wrote, "Thank you for coming to my school. Now I learned it’s fun to be a park police officer. Also I learned you represent Buddy Bison. I even liked it when you told us what you need to do to be a police officer on a horse."