HEROS is a school-based one-to-one mentoring program that was developed through a group of community leaders in Leadership Custer County, currently known as the HERO committee, and Broken Bow Public Schools to create connections between high school students and elementary. High school students are the role models of our youth, and the best way to keep that role positive is to embrace it with a connection to a student who looks up to him/her . The role of a HERO is to provide support and encouragement to students to enable them to strive for greater success and help them achieve their full potential in their elementary years at North Park.
When we first began this program we visited with high school and elementary administration and realized that we had many students who were in need of someone who could be there for them on a daily basis. The school had a mentoring program for older students, but was lacking a program for Kindergarten through fourth grade students. With the district having 41% of the population qualifying for free and reduced lunch, we knew immediately that meant there are a lot of students who could use the stability of another person in their life. The HEROs program enlists high school juniors and seniors to be that person of need for those elementary students. By creating an elective class that those students can take, they visit their mentee on a daily basis for one class period a day to mentor their student for an entire school year. Those students who are juniors in the program are fortunate enough to be able to mentor their mentee for two school years.
To become a HERO juniors and seniors must apply for the program at the end of previous school year. Their applications are reviewed by both their counselor and high school principal for approval and then are submitted to the HEROs committee for final approval. Elementary students are selected at the end of the previous school year by their teachers. Teachers are asked to identify students, who for no particular reason could need someone in their life that will be consistent and dependable. Teachers submit their referrals to the elementary principal for approval.
Over the summer the HEROs committee, elementary and high school principal meet to match the mentors and mentees. Once the students are paired, letters are mailed to the parents/guardians to notify them of their child's nomination for the program and to get parental permission to allow their child to be a part of the program.
In August, one week before school begins, the HEROs committee will host a half day training for the mentors. The second week of school HEROs will host a "Kick-off" celebration where mentors and mentees get to meet and get acquainted. The very next day after the Kick-off the HEROs program will begin with mentors meeting with their mentee during class time everyday. During the mentoring time mentors will be working in a one-on-one setting to help the students with curricular work they may be doing. Then every other Friday the mentor and mentee will get a free period to do a school approved activity of the mentees choice. This allows for the program to meet the curriculum development needs of the student while still allowing for true mentoring to happen.
During the school year mentors will complete weekly journals about their experience. This allows for the HEROs committee to help immediately if there are any concerns. The HEROs committee will then host monthly lunch or breakfast support meetings with the mentors to address any concerns and share stories about their experiences. The HEROs committee will also select one mentor/mentee group to attend a Rotary meeting every month and share about the impact of the program. This is great opportunity for Rotarians to engage students in Rotary and the many impactful programs they support.
Quarterly the HEROs committee will also develop a community service project that is school based for the mentor and mentee to be involved in. Students will be able to begin to see the impact of their connection beyond the classroom and extending into the community.
At the completion of the school year HEROs will host an "End of the Year Celebration" to celebrate the successes of the year and for closure of the mentoring program. HEROs has developed a three prong approach to helping area youth become well rounded individuals. This approach has a focus on education, service, and community awareness.
There will be approximately 70 mentors in Custer County in the 2016-2017 school year. Funding for HEROs will be used for: food and supplies during training of mentors, activities during the "Kick-off event", activities at the "End of the Year Celebration", and food for the monthly support meetings.
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