Local restaurant 28 North recently celebrated the accomplishments of 10-year-old boy Silas Scauzillo, for his anti-bullying advocacy campaign #KindnessSquad, an effort to eliminate bullying toward children with varying abilities. Scauzillo was honored with 28 North’s “Local Legend” award, given at the restaurant’s “28 Night” event each month. The award, a gift card in the value of a dinner for two and a Local Legend t-shirt ($250 value), is given in celebration of those who go the extra mile in being exceptional members of their community.
Scauzillo founded #KindnessSquad in 2017, to advocate against the bullying of children with disabilities. One of Scauzillo’s most recent efforts involved raising funds for a “Buddy Bench” at a local elementary school. The bench would function as a safe place where, if a student feels left out, they could sit as a signal to other students that they need support. Scauzillo believes the bench could be useful in advocating against bullying, as well. Along with these efforts, he has also offered support to students via #RAKCards (random acts of kindness cards). Scauzillo and his friends will leave a card with gifts or words of encouragement throughout the community or otherwise give them to a specific person or organization who has recently participated in an act of kindness of their own.
Scauzillo does many of these activities with help from his mother, Amanda Rensing-Scauzillo, father Kevin Scauzillo, and younger sister Gianna Hope.