Forming new friendships

Profile: Sofia Jayant-Madhvani, Grade 3

“Friendship means always being there when a friend is hurt, and never leaving a friend behind.”

When you meet Grade 3 student Sofia Jayant-Madhvani, there is no denying her friendly and welcoming demeanor. Now in her third year at Pickering College, Sofia is a student who truly embodies the school’s value of community: Gathering interconnected individuals whose collective actions create a sense of belonging and encourage participation, who accept and take care of one another.

During her time at PC, Sofia has learned a lot about herself and her friendships. For her, to be a good friend, you need to “make sure everyone has a turn, be inclusive, and always make sure your friends are okay even if they say they are.”

Thankful for the many opportunities she has at school to make new friends, Sofia specifically enjoys recess and class activities.

“PC is a really good school for meeting new people, and I think recess is so fun because it lets us play together while taking turns to choose what we do,” she says.

“This year we have also already gone to the Blue & Silver Farm where we played lots of games together as a group.”

Sofia appreciates spending her time with classmates and says her favourite thing about meeting new people is forming new friendships. “You can really connect with the new people and you can become really good friends with them,” she says. “What I like most about my friends is that they are kind and are always looking out for each other.”

In addition to her favourite subjects—math and French—Sofia also loves animals. “I like to make a big leaf pile and jump in it with my dog. I also love playing with my friend’s sister’s bearded dragon,” says Sofia. “I like animals because I think they should be treated nicely too.”

Outside of school, Sofia uses her imagination to create storybooks. One of her recent projects is about a super villain and a hero who embark on adventures together.