By: Sierra Smith

Atlantic High School has started a mentoring program between middle and high school students. Junior Lillie Zablocki collaborated with principal Heather McKay in order to get the program started. She started the program because she, “just felt that it was something our community would benefit from.”

The program will consist of one mentor being paired with one or two other middle schoolers. The mentors were selected by a committee of advisors. There was also a committee, headed by middle school counselor Angela Sieh, to select the middle schoolers to be mentored. Middle school principal Cam Smith said, “getting the right connections is key.” He said people will be matched based on compatibility and shared interests. Both Smith and Zablocki agreed that one of the main goals of the program is to build relationships between schools.

The school will select between 20 and 25 students to join the program. Principal Smith said, “I would want someone that’s the whole package. They should be a good student, active all around, and have character and class.” Mrs. McCue was in agreement with this, and added, “we want role model students.”

Juniors Sara King and Tyler Christensen both filled out applications for this new mentoring program.  King said she’d like to teach middle schoolers things that are not on just an educational level but also for everyday life.

Zablocki is currently working to have a scholarship awarded to the high school students who participate in the program for two years.