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North Penn highlights Peer Connections mentorship program; students report improved confidence and social skills
Summary
North Penn presenters described a cross-age Peer Connections mentorship program that pairs high school mentors with elementary and middle school students; students and staff said the program has expanded after a successful pilot and supports social-emotional learning.
Katie Grenmeier, a teacher at North Penn High School, and Dr. Christy Johnson, the district’s social-emotional learning coach and BCBA, presented the Peer Connections Mentorship Program at the North Penn School District’s April action meeting.
The program pairs high school students enrolled in a leadership course with elementary and middle school students for bimonthly mentorship sessions designed to build confidence, social skills and positive adult–peer relationships. "As a mentor, I have learned to listen to the feelings of my mentee and help give her the best advice," said Sofia Tuberhtini, a junior at North Penn High School. "Seeing her growth and determination to achieve her goals is very inspiring."
Greunmeier and Johnson said the initiative began as a pilot with sixth graders at Knapp Elementary and has since expanded to include fourth- through sixth-graders at Knapp and a pilot at Pembroke Middle School for seventh- and eighth-graders. Presenters said mentors and mentees meet bimonthly and that the program offers high school students leadership experience while younger students benefit from relatable role models.
Students who spoke at the meeting described concrete benefits. "The program has helped me to open up," a seventh-grade mentee said in remarks relayed by student speakers. Alana Nguyen and Mariam Hammig, seniors and mentors, said they had participated for two years and described improvements in mentees’ social comfort and academic follow-through.
Superintendent Dr. Bauer and board members praised the students. Bauer encouraged community members to attend related committee meetings and noted the visible impact at school sites. The board asked staff to continue tracking outcomes and invited interested community members to attend the facilities and operations and related committee meetings where programming and support are discussed.
The presentation did not include any formal board action or votes. Staff said the district plans to continue the pilots and monitor outcomes to inform potential program expansion.
The district thanked student speakers and the North Penn Educational Foundation for grant support for other student programs mentioned earlier in the meeting.
