Mentoring program a learning experience
Riverside third-grader Ronan Pritschet wasn't exactly sure what mentoring meant, but he enjoyed spending time with Brainerd High School South ninth-grader Michael Smith as they studied the capybara as part of their Rainforest research project.
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"I don't really know what a mentor is, but I do know the Capybara is the biggest rodent in the world," Pritschet said.
A successful 10-year program that each fall matches 60 Brainerd ninth-graders with 60 Riverside third-graders has not only become a school tradition, but a rewarding learning experience for the students from both grade levels. In the fall, the ninth-grade English students created personal brochures that were given to their third-grade partners while the third-graders wrote letters to their mentors, telling them about themselves.
The students met three times during the semester and worked on a Rainforest project in which they researched a specific animal. The older students helped the younger students by editing their work. They met at BHS South and at Riverside to work on their projects, which culminated with a T-shirt-making project last week, along with Christmas cookies and milk. The students gave each other tours of their respective school buildings.
Michael Smith (left), a Brainerd High School South Campus ninth-grader, helped Riverside third-grader Ronan Pritschet stamp colorful animals on T-shirts the students decorated Wednesday at Riverside School.
Brainerd Dispatch/Jodie Tweed
David Adamson participated in the project as a third-grader and was a mentor this fall for third-grade partner Ethan Anderson.
"Ethan was really fun," Adamson said. "It was a really good experience for the third-graders and the ninth-graders."
"When I was a third-grader, I just looked up to my ninth-grade mentor a lot, and when they asked me to do this, I thought, Sure, it's fun,'" said ninth-grader Jack Luke, whose third-grade partner was Kaitlyn Luksik. "Overall I thought it was a good experience helping kids out."
Michael Smith (left), a Brainerd High School South Campus ninth-grader, helped Riverside third-grader Ronan Pritschet stamp colorful animals on T-shirts the students decorated Wednesday at Riverside School.
Brainerd Dispatch/Jodie Tweed
The project was started by BHS South media specialist Sue Thurlow. The ninth-graders who participated were students of English teachers Melody Schulte, Cheryl Karnowski and Aubrey Koman. The third-graders who participated were students of Brian Stark and Karen Schirmer.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.