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Tonya Papanikolas reportingYou may think elementary students have it easy at school. But for some children, fending off bullies or finding friends can be a big worry, especially at recess.
Some students are doing their best to make sure recess is enjoyable for everyone.
A fourth-grade class at Woods Cross Elementary is learning about life skills like cooperation, friendship and helping others. A group of kids has been learning these priorities firsthand.
"You guys look kind of gloomy. Are you guys sad?"
Seven fourth-graders have formed a group called the Extreme Team. Their goal is to be extremely helpful to other kids during recess. On this particular day, they helped two girls who were upset with each other work out their problems.
"So when you get back to class, if you have time, just write her a sorry note."
It seems their advice and prompting paid off.
Vicki Gerlach, Teacher: "The one little girl came in, she said, 'The extreme team helped us.' And she said, 'Now we're even best friends."
Mason Lancaster, 4th Grader: "That made us feel really good inside."
Mason Lancaster came up with the idea for the group and says they have an objective.
Mason Lancaster, Formed "Extreme Team": "To make this school so we don't have as much bullies. Bully-free."
Caden Brown/ Extreme Team Member: "We went and found the bully and told him to be nice."
The kids on the Extreme Team call themselves bully-busters. But they're also looking out for students who may be alone during recess."
"What's your name? Do you have any friends?"
"You look like a nice girl. We've got a friend that wants to play with you."
Dakota Byers, Extreme Team Member: "It's not really fun when you're playing alone in the sandbox or somewhere, or just even standing alone. You want someone to be playing with."
The playground monitors say the kids make their jobs easier.
Stephanie Hadlow, Playground Monitor: "They're able to see things that we're not, and they're able to hear things that we're not."
Stephanie Hadlow: "They'll go over and step in and are able to talk to the kids on their own level."
These kids take their job seriously. They've even made i.d. cards for the members of their club. They take helping people to the extreme, making the school 'extremely' proud.
The kids formed the club about a month ago and they say now more and more students want to join.
