SANTA FE, N.M. — An elementary school has two new, meaningful places to sit thanks to the efforts of one six-year-old Santa Fe girl.

“I saw people playing alone, and one of my friends was playing alone,” she said.

Alyssa Kesler saw that and had an idea – her school needed a Buddy Bench.

“It’s a bench that people can sit at if they don’t have friends,” Alyssa said.

The goal of the Buddy Bench is to for kids to sit there and make a friend. It’s a nationwide initiative and, after talking with her principal, counselor and teacher, the idea became a reality.

“In the classroom, we always teach kindness and inclusion. You know, everybody should always have somebody to play with. Nobody should ever be left out,” said Laura Sanchez, Alyssa’s teacher.

These benches cost a couple hundred dollars so Alyssa had to come up with the money. With the help of her teachers, classmates and a few family members, that’s exactly what she did.

“We did a tortilla and bread bake sale with family and friends and neighbors and stuff like that. So getting involved in the community at such a young age is amazing. I’m glad that’s a quality that she has right now and I hope that she continues it,” said Ashley Kesler, Alyssa’s mom.

Now, Atalaya Elementary School has two Buddy Benches – one for the younger kids and another for the older ones.

The school had it installed last month with success.

“We actually have a job chart in our classrooms. So, we added a job as a buddy bench helper. They wear little vests and if they see someone sitting on the buddy bench. Then, it’s their job to see if they can find somebody to play with,” Sanchez said.

To some, it may be just a bench. For students, it’s a chance to make someone’s day a little brighter.

One buddy at a time.

Alyssa and her school also managed to get another Buddy Bench. Now, they want to donate that extra bench to another school in the area.