As students working from home virtually transfer to blended learning and new students come into the classrooms in Chaffin Junior High School, the student mentor team have devoted their time from class to help get these new students where they need to be. Especially with how COVID-19 has made a great impact on how the mentor team operates, they continue to work hard during these times. I interviewed the person behind the whole mentor team, Mrs. Mankins, and she would like to thank all of the mentors here in Chaffin for their service and working hard to get others where they need to be. 

While blended education continues on, COVID-19 continues to make a large impact on how the school operates. During the mentor training program, Mrs. Mankins and Mr. Clark taught the student mentors how to teach other students the new procedures during school operations, unlike what it was like pre-COVID. Since masks are a requirement for all students and facilities, the mentors have also learned how to speak proactively and clearly while wearing a mask and being more than six feet apart from each other. 

Speaking of the mentor training program, they strive and continue to be dedicated especially during these times. As the new 7th graders are transitioning from an elementary school environment, plus the new procedures for COVID-19, this can be distressing to most incoming students. Mentoring also helps those who transitioned from virtual to blended classrooms. The decision to continue the mentor program has helped and made a large impact for those students who are not only entering through a junior high school environment, but also those who transitioned from a different school and those who are impacted by the new changes. 

Other than the large impact of the COVID-19 situation, the student mentors have made a HUGE difference in student’s lives, even to where this year no student ever had to go to the counselor’s office because of the transition from an elementary school to junior high schools. Some student mentors had even exceeded their expectations and introduced new students to their own friend groups, or strike up conversations and share interests between them, making a large impact when transferring to a different environment with different people. 

Sounds like becoming a student mentor here in Chaffin interests you? Be sure to apply in the spring!