Today as we strolled into school, we noticed our friend looked a little upset. Something was off… 

“What’s wrong?” We asked, hoping to get to the root of the problem. Then, we saw it. The benches were gone! All that remained in the now barren area were some rocks and dust. 

Where did they go? Why were they moved? Perhaps the benches simply grew legs and walked away! Did they not appreciate the special treatment from students who resided on them? The shock of it all sent us into a crazed frenzy. Bring back the benches!

“Yes. I want them back now! I need them,” said bench patron, Asia C. 

Students are miserable without our precious benches, or should I say, our second home! No, it’s not just a bench. It’s a place of happiness and joyful recollection. 

“A ton of memories happened at those benches and they’ve just vanished. Now we’re left with nowhere to sit,” said Brooklyn H. 

The devastation of bench removal has left Day Creek students to sit in the dust, placing their posteriors on the dirty, cold concrete. What is one meant to do with such monstrosity?

“Me and [my friend] Kirra sit there in the morning, sharing mints while we wait for everyone to arrive. Where are we supposed to sit now? On the ground with the rocks?” Asia C. said. 

We need justice, we need equality, we need our benches back! 

“I’m sad that the benches were removed for multiple reasons. First, I don’t have anywhere to put my backpack. Second, they moved it next to the eighth grade classrooms where the boys are, and they don’t use them. All the girls here, the 7th and 8th graders –and maybe some 6th graders– were disappointed,” said Natalia W.

The move may benefit some people, namely the 7th grade boys who sit there in the mornings. 

“I don’t really like [the move] because this used to be my spot and it used to be clear. You could do whatever you want. Over there, that was the relaxing area, by where the grass is.

So, I’m not really a fan. To be honest, some people might like it, since they can hang out over here now. But, in my opinion, it’s [trash],” said Khaliel H. 

What about the strong emotional connection between students and their beloved bench. 

“I feel depressed, okay? I have been crying every single day! I am actually emotionally having breakdowns! And I’m just emo now, okay!? I need the benches back!” said Rebecca E, a 7th-grader bench sitter. 

Even our own principal was blindsided by the absence of the bench.

“I don’t even know why they were moved. I just saw that they were moved today. I’ll have to ask,” says our trusty principal, Mr. Z.

Turns out, the custodians are the culprits. They relocated the benches because students cut through the section with dirt and rocks, kicking debris onto the basketball courts. So apparently, it’s a safety issue. 

But even Mr. Zajicek could not deny the “benchers,” and thus, success is ours! One bench will be returned back to its original home. The compromise was made only two days after the initial bench disappearance, and has since been carried out. 

Alas, no longer will countless students (us) have to suffer through the torture (simply sitting on the floor) of being separated from our precious benches (completely ordinary, average school benches).