Helping students open up and deal with problems are just a couple of things seniors who are majoring in Human Services do to help the school.
Social Services and Student Support Services have teamed up so these students can get practice in mentoring, meditation, abnormal psychology, social work and curriculum in the mental health field.
The mentors go out and help students who are struggling with school, family issues depending on the depth of the situation, adapting to high school, classes, and basically anything that would cause a student to be stressed out.
“I like to help people in ways that make them choose the right decision about peer pressure and school,” senior Stephanie Downs said.
Last year these students went through an interview process to get one of the limited amounts of program spots. The student had to take Human Growth and Development as junior to even put in an application.
“The interview was pretty easy, and I like the work we do now with other students,” senior Joseph Hernandez said.
In the application the student had to include transcripts, essays and teacher recommendations. Then after the application was submitted they were interviewed by a panel of Social Services major teachers.
20 out of the 26 applicants were selected.
The seniors help mentor students during the class, advisory, at lunch and before or after school.
“There is no college credit offered for this course, but 17 of the interns are enrolled in AP Psychology and could receive college credit,” Counseling and Mental Health teacher Misty Lindsey said. “Two of the other three of my students took AP Psychology last year and earned credit.”
“We just started getting requests in, but I already really enjoy it,” Down said.
This mentoring is slowly developing and the seniors are seeing more students asking for help and advice.
“Its on our own time so it doesn’t just seem like something we have to do, it’s a lot more comfortable for the student seeking mentoring and for us as well,” Hernandez said.
The seniors help students with their problems and the students get through whatever they are dealing with as well.
