Published May 08. 2018 02:45PM
YORK (AP) — A Pennsylvania boy whose idea for a “buddy bench” helped lonely kids find friends in the schoolyard got a special mention by Melania Trump at the launch of her “BE BEST” initiative.
She unveiled her new campaign Monday at the White House Rose Garden. She’s focusing on areas that she says challenge children: the issues of well-being, social media and opioid abuse.
She invited York, Pennsylvania, student Christian Bucks to the event to highlight his “buddy bench” movement.
When Bucks was a second grader in 2013, he saw some kids at school who didn’t have anyone to play with. So he convinced his Roundtree Elementary to bring in a buddy bench.
If students feel lonely, they can go to the bench and another student will come by and ask if they want to play.
Schools around the country have followed his lead.
First lady Melania Trump speaks on her initiatives during an event in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 7, 2018, in Washington. The first lady gave her multipronged effort to promote the well-being of children a minimalist new motto: “BE BEST.” The first lady formally launched her long-awaited initiative after more than a year of reading to children, learning about babies born addicted to drugs and hosting a White House conversation on cyberbullying. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
First lady Melania Trump speaks on her initiatives during an event in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 7, 2018, in Washington. The first lady gave her multipronged effort to promote the well-being of children a minimalist new motto: “BE BEST.” The first lady formally launched her long-awaited initiative after more than a year of reading to children, learning about babies born addicted to drugs and hosting a White House conversation on cyberbullying. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)