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     BFFs. At one point or another, everyone has one. But, despite the acronym, they don’t always last forever.

     Middle School girls, however, now have a new resource to help: Danielle Bayard Jackson, a certified friendship coach, social media personality, author and educator, who is visiting Shorecrest to teach the students about friendships and how to build a more united community. 

     According to her website www.daniellebayardjackson.com, Jackson’s friendship coaching journey began when she was a high school teacher. Girls would often approach her or other teachers, looking for helpful advice to ease tension in their friend groups. Most teachers were unsure of the kind of advice they should give. That’s when she realized that girls everywhere struggle with friendships, becoming a coach to help both students and teachers more effectively navigate the issue.

     During the coaching sessions, girls discussed their feelings and their expectations for their friendships. Fifth grader Lila M. said, “In the first session, we talked about what we wanted in a friend and who we are in a friendship.” 

     As a result, some Middle Schoolers found this type of coaching to be very helpful. “When teaching about friendships, I think it was really helpful when she explained the different kinds of problems friendships face,” eighth grader Kira C. said.

     However, not all of the girls feel the coaching helped. Some said that Jackson was a very kind, enthusiastic person, but that some students didn’t appear to take her advice to heart. Additionally, some felt uncomfortable with the activities because they involved sharing private feelings with unfamiliar peers. 

     During the 2021-2022 academic year, Shorecrest received funding from Pyxis, a fund that promotes important life and social skills amongst Shorecrest students. This new dimension to the curriculum acknowledges that social-emotional intelligence is just as important as other “hard” skills, such as STEAM-based learning and financial intelligence, according to an anonymous donor. Although developing these social skills is even more important in the wake of COVID-era isolation and the ever-increasing use of social media, the overall goal is to build well-rounded members of society.

     Jackson believes that this can be achieved through free time. In an interview with Psychology Today in Sept. 2022, Jackson discussed how recess/freetime is a time during the day when kids are supposed to go play and make friends. “We never talk about how to do it the right way and how to be intentional about it,” she said. With Jackson as a resource, Middle School girls can learn to build these softer skills and go from frenemies back to friends.

     Yet, the girls aren’t the only ones learning how to be socially proactive. While they met with Jackson during four CTs, in the meantime, Middle School boys participated in the Navigator’s Course — a separate program to teach respect, understanding and friendship amongst themselves.

     “We needed to create something for the boys that’s going to be the same thing. So, Ms. Grant and I created the Navigator’s Course,” Assistant Head of Middle School and Middle School Head Dean Amy Brill said. 

     Ultimately, the goal of both courses is to create a unified Middle School, helping students resolve conflicts with their peers and gain a new understanding of one another.