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Steve Luther Elementary showcases decade-long ‘Big Buddy, Little Buddy’ mentorship program
Summary
Teachers and students from Steve Luther Elementary presented the Big Buddy, Little Buddy program to the Cypress School District board, describing a decade of pairings that connect older students with kindergarten partners to boost leadership, empathy and social skills.
Steve Luther Elementary teachers Adam Keane and Christina Romelides told the Cypress School District board on Nov. 13 that the Big Buddy, Little Buddy mentorship program has connected more than 300 older and younger students since it began in 2015.
"It is with great pride that Christina and I present the Big Buddy, Little Buddy program," Keane said, describing the program as "a living embodiment of empathy, responsibility, and confidence building at Luther." The program pairs a kindergarten student with an upper-grade student for the school year to foster cross-grade mentoring through shared activities such as STEM challenges, art projects and reading time.
Board members and parents in the audience praised the program’s impact on student relationships and school culture. One trustee said they were "tearing up the whole time" during the presentation and thanked teachers for the work they do to strengthen connections between students.
The presentation included student reflections and a short video showing students’ custom handshakes and interactions. Teachers said the program intentionally supports both social and academic skills, and that many little buddies later return to serve as big buddies themselves.
No formal action was taken; the presentation was given during the school presentations portion of the board meeting and will remain an informational highlight for future community outreach and school recognition efforts.
