"WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?" The song bursts through the loudspeaker. Ms. Dominguez’s kindergarteners, who were patiently listening to the morning’s instructions on their carpet spots, begin to giggle and wiggle—the excitement is because they know their 8th grade buddies are about to enter the classroom! This is a part of CICS West Belden’s biweekly community builder: Bulldogs Belong.
For CICS West Belden Assistant Principal Kathy Clough, the program's return was long overdue. "We wanted to give our students more opportunities to build meaningful relationships with one another and for our older Bulldogs to step into leadership as mentors for our younger students," she shares. "Bulldogs Belong first launched in 2017 and quickly became a beloved tradition. While we had to pause in 2020, students have been asking for its return, and it was past time to bring it back. Already, we’re hearing so much positive feedback about the friendships being built and the joy this experience is bringing to our school community."
Bulldogs Belong is a way we create diverse, joyful, and welcoming communities through student mentorship. By providing intentional opportunities for students to connect across grade levels, we foster a deep sense of belonging and collaboration. For our youngest learners, interacting with older students helps them build confidence and develop essential social skills like empathy and cooperation, fostering a sense of safety and belonging in our school. Our older students thrive in their mentorship roles, reinforcing their own understanding of these skills while becoming creative problem-solvers and collaborative leaders.
Throughout the morning, older students engaged younger students in friendly conversation around what they ate for breakfast or what they were going to do over the weekend. As their time together progressed, the collaboration centered on the topics of kindness and empathy. "How were you kind to someone else this week?" "What was something nice someone else did for you?" and "What does it mean to be kind to others?" were questions discussed between buddies before completing "Kindness Bingo." Together, they identified different ways they were kind—or plan on being kind—this week, coloring in paw prints for each prompt.
Exploring topics like empathy and kindness, forgiveness, and cooperation during Bulldogs Belong reinforces CICS West Belden’s deep-rooted commitment to social-emotional learning, a core component of our whole-child development approach. This time together paints how our Community Hubs create a safe space for every student to become an engaged, curious learner and a confident self-advocate, and it reinforces that every member of our community has a place where they belong.
Hugs and high fives are shared between buddies across the campus as this week’s time comes to a close. This time is a powerful demonstration of how our school community comes together to nurture every student's potential. Bulldogs Belong is a testament to our belief that by building authentic relationships, we create a foundation for lifelong learners. It’s where we nurture the whole child, preparing students not only for academic success but for a future where they can lead with empathy and contribute meaningfully to the world.
It’s through this intentional, dedicated time for students to connect across grade levels that transforms our mission into a lived reality. By intentionally cultivating this feeling of belonging, Bulldogs Belong is ensuring students feel valued for who they are and are inspired to take ownership of their learning journey—whether academic or social-emotional.