Detail shot of the letter, senior, JJ Michalsky is writing back to his KCK buddy.
With the start of the school year comes the beginning of Kids Connecting Kids (KCK) Buddies. KCK is a fun and effective way for high schoolers at Billings Central to connect with middle schoolers at St. Francis. Throughout the year, juniors and seniors write to a 5th-grade KCK buddy that they were assigned at the beginning of the year. They also get to spend time with their buddy at either Central or St. Francis. KCK has been a longtime tradition at Central and has come to be known as an enjoyable experience for both Central and St. Francis students.
This year, Mrs. Sogaard, a teacher at Billings Central, has taken the position of leading KCK and continuing the memorable experience for the students. She expresses that she decided to lead it because she remembered how her now sixth-grade son loved the experience last year. Sogaard states, “I wanted to make sure it continued for the fifth graders.” With Mrs. Sogaard taking the lead, all fifth graders now have an opportunity to connect in a special way with Central high schoolers.
KCK is only offered to juniors and seniors at Central, 128 of whom are participating this year. However, there are some requirements. Sogaard states, “They have to maintain a certain grade point average, and they agree that they’re going to be a good role model for the students.” The students must show their responsibility in their grades and demeanor. One of the purposes of KCK is for middle schoolers to look up to and get to know a high schooler. With these requirements in place, KCK becomes a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
Besides writing letters to each other, the students also get to meet each other and spend time with each other. They get to sit with their buddies at the Thanksgiving All-System Mass in November. This is a time for the students to learn more about each other and converse in person. It has been known as an enjoyable time for everyone, and will be something the students of both St. Francis and Central will no doubt look forward to this coming year.
