Saco Middle School pilots Compass mentor program pairing students with senior mentors

Saco Middle School staff presented a pilot mentor program April 29 that pairs middle-school students with senior community mentors to provide social, academic and emotional support during the school day.

Christie Beaupre, resiliency coordinator at Saco Middle, said the Compass Mentor Program was developed this school year to address a gap in mentoring: "We call it the Compass Mentor Programthe name is intentional because a compass helps you find your way," she said. The pilot paired 15 students across sixth through eighth grades with mentors recruited through Saco Parks & Recreation's senior program; matches were made using interests and mentor orientation, and all mentors completed background checks.

Presenters said mentor-mentee meetings take place during lunch, enrichment or recess blocks and that mentors and students complete feedback after meetings to ensure matches remain productive. Mentors and students who spoke during the presentation described playing games, practicing reading and other activities and said the matches "lift spirits." Presenters said the program will continue next year with a goal of expansion, including exploring additional recruitment sources such as Rotary and other community groups.

Board members praised the collaboration with Parks & Rec and suggested outreach to other city volunteer organizations to scale the program. Presenters emphasized keeping mentor contact within school hours for now and monitoring mentor-mentee dynamics as the program grows.

Next steps: presenters plan a closing breakfast for pairs and will continue recruiting mentors and retaining current mentees year to year.