By Molly Ehrnschwender '12
This year a freshman mentoring program is coming to Stephen T. Badin High School. Also known as iMentor, the program was created to get freshmen more involved and comfortable with the goings on at Badin High School.
Mrs. Angie Bucheit, freshman and sophomore counselor, created iMentor in response to the cliques in past classes as well as freshmen not knowing what any of the sports, clubs, or mid-terms were like. The idea is to give the freshmen someone they can go to and it is also a way for seniors to reach out and welcome them into the Herd.
“We are Ramily," iMentor's motto, is already beginning to shine at Badin. Seniors met in mid-September to decide on what would be good for the freshmen to "interact and learn more about each other and have a good time," Tommy Saurber, BHS senior mentor, said.
Students, as of now, will meet every first Friday of the month during homeroom. However, many have voiced that they hope to meet more than that. "It (once a month) is honestly not enough to do what the program is meant for," Saurber said.
The difference made by iMentor is already being felt through the halls of Badin High. Senior mentors have been sitting with their freshmen at lunch as well as getting to know them. "You really make a connection," Kelly Cassano, BHS senior mentor, said. "Some of the freshmen are coming to me outside of school for advice."
There are 14 to 16 freshmen with five or six senior mentors and one teacher adviser in a group. Teachers do not come to the group sessions. They are there to help guide freshmen with their classes and possible bad grades.
Seniors are planning to have a freshmen night of dancing, corn hole, and a cookout in the Pfirman Center. This night will be only for the freshmen and their mentors to have a great time. "That will really help them feel involved because they aren't allowed to go to homecoming and stuff like that," Saurber said.
The new program is still just getting started but both students and teachers hope to have a great year getting to know each other and getting a better feel for what Badin is all about.
Seniors will be interviewing juniors for next year's mentor program in March.
