A group of United High School (UHS) students kicked off a new mentorship program with one goal in mind: to help shape and build young, well-rounded students. The 16 members of the UHS Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council launched the program at San Isidro Elementary, home of the Raptors.
To introduce “United in Mentoring”, a fun video detailing what the Raptors can expect from their mentors was created and shown during their first meet up. “With the support of everyone we were able to get this program up and running,” explained UHS JROTC, 12th grader, Jose Flores. “It’s going to be character building, confidence building, just building good moral character.” Partnering with a UHS Longhorn brings a unique and exciting opportunity for these 5th graders, as each mentor brings a wealth of experience from a variety of extracurricular activities. The mentors are actively involved in organizations such as the National Honor Society, Future Farmers of America, Robotics, student government, band, sports teams, cheer, dance, and a number of other clubs, where many of them serve as presidents. “With United in Mentoring, I wholeheartedly believe that they will be able to unlock new skills as leaders as we work together to improve our community,” said 12th grader, Athena Aguilera, National Honor Society President.
Throughout the semester-long mentorship program, the high school students will guide their 5th grade mentees by focusing on four key areas of personal and academic growth. “I love it because they are going to teach us a lot of things. They’re teaching us leadership and how to be smarter and better at school,” added 5th grader, Rhiannon Brieden. In each session, the mentors will not only highlight the organizations, clubs and teams they are a part of, but also help each Raptor map out the steps needed to achieve similar goals.
To kick off the program and build rapport, the UHS students and 5th graders participated in an ice breaker activity, forming one big circle and rolling a ball around the room. As each participant caught the ball, they answered a “get to know you” question, helping to build positive connections. “I was really, really excited to come here and meet all of these amazing high school students that can one day be us,” said Jeremiah Mireles, 5th grade.
The mentorship program will continue through in-person meetings as well as online sessions to ensure students stay engaged and connected.
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