ALLENTOWN, Pa. — When Amya Johnson arrives at Lehigh Parkway Elementary School each morning, she checks in with her kindergarten mentees to see how they’re doing and to set expectations for the day ahead.
“I would tell them to be safe, be kind, have fun and to make sure they do their work and just have a good day,” said Amya, 10, a fifth-grader at the Allentown school.
Kindergartners Isabella Perry and Alyona Viera Diaz credit Amya with helping them prioritize their classwork on Zearn and Lexia, online learning programs for math and literacy, respectively.
“She’s beautiful, and she likes helping everyone,” Alyona, 5, said of her mentor.
These students were paired together as part of a new mentorship program at Lehigh Parkway that connects fifth-grade leaders with younger children in kindergarten through fourth grade to help them thrive academically, behaviorally and socially. Nearly 45 students have participated in the program, which began in December — collectively, these students are known as the Success Squad.
“I think it’s important to use the kids who are older as role models and influences for the younger kids coming up,” said Dave Peters, the fifth-grade teacher who started the mentoring program.
“I think it’s important to use the kids who are older as role models and influences for the younger kids coming up.”Dave Peters, fifth-grade teacher who started the Success Squad
'Setting an example'
Mentors check in with students daily. In the morning, they ask their mentees to reflect on the day before by identifying challenges and successes; they also develop a motivational mantra for the day ahead.
Mentors help their students develop goals for the week and track their progress through daily goal charts. If students were on track the majority of the week based on their individual goals, then they earn a trinket from the prize box or another reward, such as extra recess or time spent with their mentor.
Each Friday afternoon, mentors check in with their mentees’ homeroom teachers to get a report on how the students have been doing throughout the week and to brainstorm goals to continue working on.
“I like setting an example for my kids. Being a role model really helps them understand how it is in fifth grade,” said Gabi Liz, an 11-year-old mentor.
“I like helping people and I just want to make those kids become leaders like us,” added Ava Sharp, a 10-year-old mentor.
Mentorship program's formation
Peters got the idea for the Success Squad from his experience as a previous head varsity assistant coach for the Allen High School boys basketball team. A decades-long mentoring program paired men from the community with players, many of whom came from single-parent homes, to make sure they had a positive male role model in their lives.
“I saw how great that worked,” Peters said. “I wanted to translate that into the schools.”
Peters briefly began a mentoring program at Lehigh Parkway about five years ago, but it never got off the ground because of school shutdowns due to the pandemic. This academic year Peters decided to explore his mentorship idea again. He applied for grant funding through the Allentown School District Foundation and received $1,000 to implement the program.
“I didn’t know how the mentees would respond to it, but when these kids see each other in the hallways, and [mentors] give them a high-five or give them a hug...it makes it all worthwhile,” said Peters, adding he wants to see the elementary mentorship program expand throughout Allentown School District.
Joining the Success Squad
At Lehigh Parkway, fifth-grade students applied to be mentors, and teachers identified younger students who would benefit from their guidance. These mentees needed help with academics, behavior or other goals, such as neatness and attendance.
Namiya Hamilton, an 11-year-old mentor, said she’s been working with her mentee, Alexavier Molina, to improve his behavior. Alexavier, a kindergarten student, has been working on listening in class and getting his work done quickly.
“Sometimes I have bad days and next time she tells me I have to do good,” said Alexavier, 5.
“Ever since I came, Alexavier has been improving so much,” Namiyah added.
Additionally, some students were chosen for the program because they could benefit socially from a mentor relationship, Peters said.
“Kids who just are quiet, to themselves, this really worked for them because they sprouted and came into their own,” he said.
Coming out of their shell
Missy Weierbach, a kindergarten teacher, said that was the case for one of her students who is “more shy and introverted.”
“My hope was to help her come out of her shell a little bit more, which I think has definitely happened,” Weierbach said.
There’s limited research on the benefits of cross-age mentorship programs, and what does exist examines the impact of high school mentors on younger students. These studies, however, have found mentorship programs are beneficial, particularly for urban schools.
Researchers have also found peer mentoring increases school bonding, peer acceptance and self-esteem, as well as family and peer connectedness.
Lehigh Parkway teachers said they’ve seen students improve their grades and behavior throughout the program. Mentors have also benefited, they said.
Behavior shift
Michelle Kern, a fifth-grade teacher, said mentors look forward to helping other students. This dynamic helps them take responsibility for their own behaviors.
“It has changed the way they see behaving versus misbehaving, so it has turned their behavior to positive instead of always choosing the inappropriate behavior,” she said.
Peters said the mentorship program has been successful because it’s impactful for students to guide each other. Teachers have an important voice, he said, but students have a special ability to sway their peers.
“It’s good to have kids who are in your school, in your situation hold you accountable and push you to succeed every day.”
