"What a great show! ... the children were focused and involved ... excellent singers / performers ... It was wonderful to have the booklet and CD ahead of time ... The students just loved the songs and it ties in nicely with the Second Step program. We will be singing them every day!" - Pinky Kwan, Teacher at Lord Selkirk Elementary, Vancouver BC, October 2006.

"My students loved the dancing! The music is simple, memorable and upbeat ... all the students were actively involved ... has a lot to do with social responsibility ... Right on target! ... It was very helpful to get the book ahead of time ... definitely suited to younger children." - Teachers and Administrators at Anmore Elementary, Anmore BC, September 2006.

"Sue Malcolm and her musical trio encourage elementary students to sing their way out of a violent situation. Malcolm's music gives students a way to express themselves and to discuss sensitive issues in a safe and entertaining form. Malcolm also sees herself as a role model for how alternative forms of music can enact positive change. Malcolm's music uses catchy tunes and lyrics to reflect positive behavior in children and adults alike." - Heather Travis, The Vancouver Sun, December 17th 2005

"I believe that The Buddy System is an excellent way to combine music with the development of social skills in young children. The concert has a strong curriculum link in that it follows the same progressions as Second Step - the themes of empathy, problem solving, and anger management are introduced throughout the performance. The performance is fun, well-timed, and very appealing to children." - Geoff Jopsen, Director of Curriculum and Staff Development, West Vancouver School District

"There’s a message in the music! Whether it’s how to deal with being angry, what to say to a bully, or just plain positive reinforcement. I use this CD as a teaching tool with children with autism, for behaviour and understanding emotions. Amazing how words to music are so much more effective (and more fun) than words alone." - Mary Stein, Special Education Assistant, Queen Mary Elementary, North Vancouver, BC

"I use the songs almost daily in my music program. They are a constant reminder of how we should treat others and ourselves. I look forward to seeing the performance again next year." -Mae Romeo, Grade 1 Teacher, John Norquay Elementary, Vancouver, BC

"The content ideas are good and pertain to the curriculum … this was an excellent presentation … I particularly enjoyed the fact that students had an opportunity to stand up and dance … very upbeat, positive messages … great connection with students … good messages and strategies to help … these are great topics for the students to get a handle on, and so positively … children were fascinated with the performance … the music is fabulous and the songs are easy for anyone to learn … top notch!." - Teachers at Sir James Douglas Elementary School, Vancouver, BC

"Talented musicians and performers … very relevant to the Personal Planning Curriculum … the children loved the songs … The songs all had a powerful message and a great rhythm and beat! … good discussion topics following learning outcome guidelines … great energy!" - Teachers at Hammond Elementary School, Maple Ridge, BC

"We really enjoyed the CD. The students were prepped well, knowing some of the songs … most capable, organized and upbeat." - Teachers at Wishart Elementary School, Victoria, BC

"From bully to buddy is a giant step. Teaching kids to control their anger instead of using their fists to solve problems doesn’t happen overnight, but it is possible, especially with a little help from a couple of guitar strumming, electric bass playing performers who call themselves The Buddy System." - The Vancouver Sun, December 5th, 1998.

"We were delighted with your performances and with the response you received. Your combination of quality music, strong lyrics that speak to kids, and respect for your young audience was a real hit with children, parents and teachers. The atmosphere you created was truly wonderful." - Norma Graham, Associate Artistic Director, The Vancouver International Children’s Festival.

"Having taken my young son to several performances of The Buddy System, I have seen first-hand how they present their message neatly tucked into a sound that's guaranteed to captivate its young audience. I understand how difficult it is to effect change in youth who have already become involved in anti-social activities. Fear of violence has become a major issue in our society. Supporting The Buddy System will be a positive step towards violence prevention." - Teresa Whitehouse, Community Development Worker with the Little Mountain/Riley Park Healthy Communities Initiative.

"I have found that the goals of the violence prevention program at the school and the goals of the West Coast Violence Prevention Society have fit together exceptionally well. The children learn Second Step skills such as anger management and peaceful problem solving through the songs of The Buddy System program. The songs are not only fun to listen to, but they also reinforce the violence prevention principles. I would encourage others interested in starting a violence prevention program for primary students to hire The Buddy System, as it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience." - Jennifer Scarr, Community Health Nurse, Vancouver Health Board.

"After having booked The Buddy System for two seasons as part of the Vancouver Parks and Recreation's 'Bandwagon' Family Entertainment Series, I am pleased to recommend their performance for family events. The Buddy System has performed at a number of different centres throughout this series, always with great response from parents, children and the programmers of the events. Event Programmers have commented particularly on the positive content of the material, and the themes of their songs are a great message for young children. These are seasoned performers with a passion for what they are doing." - Meghan Monro, Bandwagon Family Entertainment Series Programmer.

"Talented, all-round musicians and fabulous, engaging children's entertainers! Our ultimate goal is to be able to identify and meet the many diverse needs of families in our community. You have assisted us in meeting these needs repeatedly. They have the ability not only to hold the attention of an active group of pre-schoolers, but to convey their messages about social skills at the same time." - Marianne Drew-Pennington, Executive Director of West Side Family Place.

"I actually videotaped the presentation and was able later to observe the children's faces and see that they were captivated and engaged in the music. In short, this unique program conveys many powerful messages to the students. Messages such as the expression of feelings, how to be a positive friend, managing your anger and feeling good about yourself were portrayed. It was delightful to have them shared through the gift of music." - Sue Diewert, Area Counsellor for the Vancouver School Board.

"To raise awareness about violence prevention among children, we contacted The Buddy System to perform in 1995 and 1996. The songs were catchy and contain a very positive mesasage about violence prevention. The concerts were thoroughly enjoyed by both the children and the adults. As an agency, we feel this is a practical way of introducing and reinforcing concepts such as self esteem, problem solving, and building and maintaining friendships. As a parent, I have found the songs to be a wonderful way to initiate discussions with my child regarding expressing feelings and positive ways to handle difficult situations." - Cathy Krause, Executive Director of The North Shore Disability Resource Centre.

"The Buddy System is fun. I really enjoy it. It makes me happy. I like listening to it a lot. It always sounds good. I like it so much that I can sing it a thousand times. I like the guitars too. The songs help a lot of people." - Ashley Wallace, Primary School Student.