Claire Conder | Staff Writer

While many high school students feel as if they are too busy to add another item to their schedule, some juniors and seniors gladly take on the commitment of becoming mentors for North Grove Elementary students.                                                                                                                                                            

Sixteen junior and senior mentors in total are visiting North Grove in hopes to impact students’ lives.

“The sixteen kids serve as mentors for all various reasons, mostly because of what is going on in the kids’ home life,” high school guidance counselor and director of the mentoring program Connie Poston said. “It is important for the upperclassmen to be the leaders because the elementary kids think it is so cool that the big high schoolers want to spend time with them.

Senior Mason Cook is one student working with these North Grove students after school.

“Doing this program teaches me better communicating and leadership skills, and it feels good knowing that I have someone that looks up to me for help when some kids don’t have another source for that,” Cook said.

Not only does the program make an impact on the high school students and their mentees, but the skills mentors gain affect their home lives as well.  

“With having younger siblings I think it is super important for me to have these skills and be able to cooperate with them,” Cook said.

Poston is also hoping for this program to take off in other directions.

“I am going to propose that this program become a class with 30 or so kids,” Poston said. “Maybe we could open up to all of the Center Grove elementary schools instead of just the one.”

Even though student schedules are often busy, this program’s volunteers see the possibility of a fruitful relationship for all for all involved.