A new peer mentor program is impacting student success and school culture at Knickrehm Elementary.
The school’s Buddy Program pairs older students with younger ones for quarterly activities throughout the year. This program is building confidence, fostering mentorship, and creating a culture of safety and respect across the entire school. Pairings are different for each quarterly meeting, so students have the opportunity to interact with many different peers.
For the fifth-grade students, the Buddy Program is not just a break from their usual curriculum; it is a lesson in leadership. Fifth-grade teacher Christine Kier has watched her students embrace their roles as "teachers and mentors" for their second-grade counterparts this year.
"I think it’s so beneficial because our kids get to be responsible for little humans," Kier says. "The fifth graders did a really great job showing the kids around, taking them to different spots, and showing them how to do crafts."
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Earlier this semester, the program held a student-led Renaissance Fair. After finishing their Renaissance unit in class, the fifth graders took full ownership of the event, planning different stations for the second graders. The stations included making family crests, watching jesters in a play, and trying Renaissance-era food.
One of the most unique aspects of the Buddy Program is how the teachers align their curriculum to make the meetings more meaningful. While the fifth graders were diving into the history and politics of the Renaissance, the second graders were reading Sir Gus, a story about a knight.
Fifth graders Lina Lopez and Laura Gonzalez said they enjoy making connections and setting an example for their younger peers.
“I like setting good examples for them so they can grow up to be better people,” Gonzalez said.
“I like hanging out with them and learning what they like,” Lopez added.
On the other side of the partnership, the second graders are seeing the benefits of having older role models. Second-grade teacher Amy Penny said the program has been instrumental in boosting student self-esteem.
"It helps grow their confidence," Penny explains. "Sometimes when you see big kids, you kind of become shy, but they’re not shy at all. This is our third time together, and they are interacting and having fun."
Second grader Ariel Ortega Vasquez said through the Buddy Program, she was able to make new friends outside of her grade.
“I learned that the fifth graders are really nice,” Ortega Vasquez said.
The connection and mentorship carry on outside of the quarterly meetings. Penny mentioned that the second graders now look for their buddies in the halls, shouting out greetings and looking to them as examples of how to be responsible, respectful and safe.
Though the program is in its first year, the impact is clear. By having specific grade-level pairings — such as second and fifth, first and third, and kindergarten and fourth — students are forming deeper bonds.
