Edmee Rodriguez/Sun Photo
MENTORS: Shawnee MIssion West freshman Alex Healy, left, and senior Liam Reilly high- five during a get-to-know-you exercise.
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Mentoring program benefits students
By: Kelli Bamforth, Staff Writer
In the world of high school politics, seniors typically rule and freshmen dare not approach them for friendship, advice or even directions.
The Freshman Mentoring Program at Shawnee Mission West, 8800 W. 85th St., Overland Park, is trying to change that.
This is the second year for the West program, which was started by Julia Crane, now principal at Broadmoor Technical Center.
Sophomore, junior and senior mentors are selected in the spring based on an application, essay and interview. Teachers score applicants based on their leadership skills, overall maturity and role model potential, Spanish teacher and program sponsor Karen Tritt said.
“Dr. Crane used grant money to get it off the ground,” Tritt said. “We’re following the model from Adlai Stevenson High School in Chicago, which has had huge success from it. We’re hoping for our freshmen the same outcome that ASHS has been able to generate from theirs.”
Four mentors are assigned to each of 20 freshman seminar classes. Five serve on the program’s advisory board, and with the help of Tritt and Associate Principal Erica Warren, they planned a day of freshman-only activities for the first day of school.
Over the course of the school year, freshmen and mentors are together 30 minutes daily. Currently, mentors are facilitating get-to-know-you activities and helping freshmen navigate West’s expanded hallways.
“The kids will be together all year long, and we hope to establish a level of trust in the group and camaraderie,” Tritt said. “We want freshmen to feel like they are in a safe environment where they can ask questions and have mentors they can go to without fear and with confidence that the upperclassmen will take them seriously.”
Senior Liam Reilly, 17, has served as a mentor since the program’s inception. He said he is excited for the program to grow.
“It was hard acclimating my freshman year … I remember my first day because it was such a change for me,” Liam said. “I really wanted to give back to West and help the freshmen integrate; I think it helps the overall appearance of West and the students’ attitudes.”
This year, mentors gave out their phone numbers on the first day. Liam said he has received text messages from freshmen wanting advice or just to talk.
“Freshmen tend to look at seniors and be scared because they don’t know them … as mentors they feel closer to us and aren’t scared of asking questions,” he said. “There’s a couple (freshmen) in my class this year, that I could definitely see us being friends.”
Cody Young, 14, is in Liam’s freshman group. He said the mentors have already shown him how to become more active in school organizations.
“I think (the program) is great,” Cody said. “In lunch and gym especially, it’s kind of hard to find where you fit in, but I think they’re helping us with that. All I can say is the program helps newcomers a lot.”
Junior Tyler Wright, 16, serves as a mentor. He said his transition from middle school to high school was difficult.
“We run completely different schedules, a lot of hallways don’t connect … it’s really confusing,” Tyler said. “I wanted to help the new kids because I know how I struggled with it. It’s good to know you’re helping the next generation of Vikings.”
Some students that Tyler mentored last year returned as sophomores to become mentors to the class of 2012.
“I thought that was really cool,” Tyler said. “I’ll definitely do it next year. I would encourage other kids (to mentor) because it really helps others. Helping someone make the transition and making friends, those are the benefits. You meet some cool people and help somebody out.
“It’s good to make a school community better.”
The program also has an academic focus, Tritt said. Following 30 minutes of mentoring, seminar classes consist of “open study time,” where freshmen can ask mentors for help with class work or direction on a project.
“Mentors are all kids who are focused and successful at school,” Tritt said. “We want to help create freshmen who are successful in high school … we want them to make a smooth transition, both academically and socially, and break the barriers between classes so freshmen know they can have friends all across the spectrum regardless of age.
“We want to dispel the myth that freshmen can’t be friends with seniors. Cliques are, unfortunately, a part of society that we may never be able to erase, but are hoping to minimize. We’re trying to build a community.”
Contact Kelli Bamforth at 385-6024 or kellibamforth@sunpublications.com.
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The Freshman Mentoring Program at Shawnee Mission West, 8800 W. 85th St., Overland Park, is trying to change that.
This is the second year for the West program, which was started by Julia Crane, now principal at Broadmoor Technical Center.
Sophomore, junior and senior mentors are selected in the spring based on an application, essay and interview. Teachers score applicants based on their leadership skills, overall maturity and role model potential, Spanish teacher and program sponsor Karen Tritt said.
“Dr. Crane used grant money to get it off the ground,” Tritt said. “We’re following the model from Adlai Stevenson High School in Chicago, which has had huge success from it. We’re hoping for our freshmen the same outcome that ASHS has been able to generate from theirs.”
Four mentors are assigned to each of 20 freshman seminar classes. Five serve on the program’s advisory board, and with the help of Tritt and Associate Principal Erica Warren, they planned a day of freshman-only activities for the first day of school.
Over the course of the school year, freshmen and mentors are together 30 minutes daily. Currently, mentors are facilitating get-to-know-you activities and helping freshmen navigate West’s expanded hallways.
“The kids will be together all year long, and we hope to establish a level of trust in the group and camaraderie,” Tritt said. “We want freshmen to feel like they are in a safe environment where they can ask questions and have mentors they can go to without fear and with confidence that the upperclassmen will take them seriously.”
Senior Liam Reilly, 17, has served as a mentor since the program’s inception. He said he is excited for the program to grow.
“It was hard acclimating my freshman year … I remember my first day because it was such a change for me,” Liam said. “I really wanted to give back to West and help the freshmen integrate; I think it helps the overall appearance of West and the students’ attitudes.”
This year, mentors gave out their phone numbers on the first day. Liam said he has received text messages from freshmen wanting advice or just to talk.
“Freshmen tend to look at seniors and be scared because they don’t know them … as mentors they feel closer to us and aren’t scared of asking questions,” he said. “There’s a couple (freshmen) in my class this year, that I could definitely see us being friends.”
Cody Young, 14, is in Liam’s freshman group. He said the mentors have already shown him how to become more active in school organizations.
“I think (the program) is great,” Cody said. “In lunch and gym especially, it’s kind of hard to find where you fit in, but I think they’re helping us with that. All I can say is the program helps newcomers a lot.”
Junior Tyler Wright, 16, serves as a mentor. He said his transition from middle school to high school was difficult.
“We run completely different schedules, a lot of hallways don’t connect … it’s really confusing,” Tyler said. “I wanted to help the new kids because I know how I struggled with it. It’s good to know you’re helping the next generation of Vikings.”
Some students that Tyler mentored last year returned as sophomores to become mentors to the class of 2012.
“I thought that was really cool,” Tyler said. “I’ll definitely do it next year. I would encourage other kids (to mentor) because it really helps others. Helping someone make the transition and making friends, those are the benefits. You meet some cool people and help somebody out.
“It’s good to make a school community better.”
The program also has an academic focus, Tritt said. Following 30 minutes of mentoring, seminar classes consist of “open study time,” where freshmen can ask mentors for help with class work or direction on a project.
“Mentors are all kids who are focused and successful at school,” Tritt said. “We want to help create freshmen who are successful in high school … we want them to make a smooth transition, both academically and socially, and break the barriers between classes so freshmen know they can have friends all across the spectrum regardless of age.
“We want to dispel the myth that freshmen can’t be friends with seniors. Cliques are, unfortunately, a part of society that we may never be able to erase, but are hoping to minimize. We’re trying to build a community.”
Contact Kelli Bamforth at 385-6024 or kellibamforth@sunpublications.com.