FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. – Over the summer, News4Jax purchased and helped install a buddy bench on the playground at Thunderbolt Elementary School in Clay County.
The Positively Jax campaign was started to help children in need of a friend.
Buddy benches are a way to help wipe out loneliness on the playground and even help curb bullying. The hope is that buddy benches will help students feel like they always have someone to play with.
The way buddy benches work is when a student feels lonely or excluded, they go sit on the bench and other students playing in the area know to go over and try to mingle.
So far, studies show the concept works.
If you or someone you know would like to sponsor a bench, or if your school would like to get a bench put on its playground, send an email to positivelyjax@wjxt.com and they’ll work to help match up a sponsor with a school.