MURRAY, NEB – Along with the excitement of being back for their first year in junior high and last year in high school, the seventh graders and seniors have another reason to be excited about being back. During the first week back to school, seventh graders and seniors have met their mentorship buddies in a newly-established program. 

Founder of this program is Conestoga Jr/Sr High English teacher, Brooke Iverson.“The seventh graders were very excited, but probably more nervous than anything,” Iverson states. Moving from the elementary school building to the junior/senior high school building can be intimidating for the seventh graders. Establishing this program was to help calm the nerves of these fresh students. “I think everybody likes to be helpful, and I think the seniors were looking forward to that.” Stepping into this brotherly/sisterly role for a younger student may come off as a bit difficult to the senior class at first. However, their excitement blinds them from these worries.

Iverson explains where the idea of this program was initially born. “That’s actually where I got the idea, I did it when I was in school,” Iverson mentions. 

This program is seen as something that can build lifelong memories, as Iverson reveals she still remembers her seventh grade mentorship buddy.

An obstacle pertaining to this program includes pairing a seventh grader with a senior Iverson has potentially taught years ago. Iverson expresses it may be difficult pairing an unknown seventh grader with a senior student who she is more familiar with, personality wise. “The sixth grade teachers were super helpful.” Iverson says that along with the help of the sixth grade teachers, a personality likes/dislikes sheet the seventh graders and seniors filled out near the end of the previous school year was beneficial.

As the program takes off, the buddies will begin partaking in activities together. “I am hoping to carve out maybe one time a month for breakfast,” Iverson suggests. Minute-to-win-it games, Valentines to one another, and graduation gifts are all examples of how these buddies will bring together the seventh graders and seniors every once in a while. The external goal of this program is to bring more community to the junior/senior high school, as well as relieving the seventh graders of any first week fears they may have. “The idea of fostering that initial relationship piece.” This is the true importance of the program, and, of course, remembering your buddy for lifetime with the connections that will be built throughout the school year.