Last Friday, fourteen high school students were trained by the counseling staff to serve as mentors in freshman homerooms next school year as part of the school’s annual student mentoring program.
The selected students were nominated by teachers for showing specific characteristics, including being a role model, being honest and trustworthy, having a sincere interest in the well-being of others, wanting to make a positive difference in other people’s lives, being approachable and being respectful to others. The fourteen students selected are Mallory Ashbery, Zackary Baron, Oliver Beach, Perris Benjamin, Leo Bolton, Cassandra Brown, Matthew Kania, Seth Krenning, James Earl Ruiz, Alexandra Sanders, Joseph Schoeberlein, MacKenzie Snook and Ella Trupo.
The mentors will be in one of the freshman homeroom classes for the first five weeks of the 2022-2023 school year and will play an integral role in helping freshmen feel comfortable in the high school. The upperclassmen will talk with freshmen about many issues the new high schoolers may struggle with, such as how to study, how to get involved and problems with friendships.
The training took place at Hoag Library and focused on roles and expectations, leadership skills, the importance of trust, effective listening skills, review of common high school issues and when to seek an adult for help. The mentorship program plays a big role in providing an inclusive and cohesive learning environment in the high school.