Out of the Gate

The Barstow Pillars volunteer mentors are preparing to begin or renew regular weekly visits with students at school. This will be the fourth year of the program, and we have nine active mentors ready for a fun-filled year.

Though mentors meet for a mere 45-60 minutes, all around the lunch/recess schedule, available space is hard to come by. Between offerings of a library corner, a voluntarily vacant classroom, and the possibly unused art, reading, or office space, we should be able to work out schedules for all mentor pairs and possibly a new one or two.

Mentors come in prepared to read or chat through a brief lunch time, and plan an activity to enjoy for the brief recess time (which is occasionally approved to extend for an extra 10-15 minutes). Activities might be a game, outdoor walk, craft, Lego project, or conversation. Our experience reveals dramatic growth of self-confidence for some of our extended relationships. A longer commitment, year after year, usually allows for the development of a safe relationship that is built on friendship, support, and encouragement.  All of these things go a long way for a student whose school days have been filled with challenge. A mentor can add a moment of positive interaction that can bolster a sense of belonging or provide incentive to engage in learning.

Parents who believe their child might benefit from such a relationship should contact the school guidance office.  Mentoring is independent of guidance, but without our own office presence, a guidance-enabled contact works well for the program.

Thanks to all who supported mentoring by participating in the field day Duck Race last spring. We now have funds to support our occasional after-school events, such as cookie baking, hiking, or ice-cream making.

Duck Race Rain-out Success

Field day brought morning rain and thus a rushing stream, but the race organizers were not deterred.
The race had a new venue...on the slides of the playground! Classes reported to the gazebo, where they were nicely sheltered.  Those classes who hit a clear sky moment played a duck balancing game around the play equipment, while others participated under shelter. After enjoying a little outdoor movement, the class watched their class ducks do a fast duck slide. The duck that flew furthest off the slide was proclaimed the winner, and a run-off of all winners at the end of the day established our grand prize winner. So this year's strongest flight and jump mattered more than strong swimming skills, and the day was still a success.

Thanks to all who participated in this fund-raiser for the school mentoring program. Our program costs are really quite small, while our impact is great, and we appreciate the support we earn from our community.  The administration costs are covered, and we are ready to welcome new mentors and mentees next fall.

Please make summer inquiries to anne.l.gallivan@gmail.com

 

Time for the Duck Race!

Field Day is fast approaching, and that means it is time to bring in some money to participate in the Duck Race on the stream behind the school.

1 Duck   $1

  6 Ducks  $5  

Buying a duck means

• Race fun at field day
• Chance for a class prize and a grand prize
• Support of Barstow Pillars Mentoring  

That's a win, win, win sort of thing!

Classrooms will sell ducks each morning from now through Monday the 10th.

 

Don't be a quack, but send your order form back!

The Mentor Bowl

On January 26th, a group of Barstow Pillars participants enjoyed an afternoon at the bowling alley. We thank Keyser Energy for sponsoring our team this year. We all had a great time bowling and enjoying the hotdogs, popcorn, and ice cream sundaes. The buzz of the mentor affiliated crowd, the door prizes, and the friendship of our own school companions made for a warm event on a cold, cold day.

New mentors have been through a training and will be starting up with their new student matches this month. It is good to see more people get involved in a program that works so well. It seems like very little effort for the volunteers and great rewards when the relationship is established. We all win in this program!

Please speak up if you are a parent who would like your student to join the list of participants or if you know a community member who would be a good mentor.  Mrs. Jaquith can direct you to the folks who can help.
The more, the merrier!

...slow start

Though ongoing mentor/mentee meetings have been taking place, we have been slow to get some new matches established. Suddenly, we seem to have some new volunteers ready to commit an hour a week to visit with a student who would like this dedicated relationship.

If other students are wanting to be matched up with a mentor, they or their parents should contact the guidance office.  The mentor program is not a guidance program, but is our best match to work with the school counselor to initiate these partnerships. Mentoring adds the support of a friendship with another adult who is dedicated to the relationship. This is a proven asset to young people in growing their confidence and resiliency in a larger community than home and classroom. Please let the school know if this program will meet your needs.

Making a match

School is in the air. I feel it in the cooler morning, and in the clear air of a blue sky day. And it is time to wake up all those organizational routines and set goals for new accomplishments after a summer of relaxed removal from the same.

Barstow Pillars aims to match adult volunteers with students who will benefit from a supportive relationship that comes in the way of a weekly visit in the school day. Some students are recommended for the program, and others seek out the program. Since meetings typically occur during a lunch/recess break, academic programs are uninterrupted.  Students look forward to routine visits during which they read, play games, go walking, do projects, or just plain talk.  Activity is driven by joint decision-making, and is a time that carries no academic strings.

If parents are interested in this program for their child, a chat with the guidance office will be enough to set in motion a possible match with a minimum commitment of one year.

 Quack! Quack! Quack!  The ducks are coming!

The Buddy Duck Race will be held on June 8 during Field Day.  Mentors will be making visits to classrooms to sell the duck numbers at $1 per duck or 6 for $5.  Students will watch their own ducks and those of their classmates as they float down East Creek to the finish line. The twelve class race winners will then compete for the grand prize family fun pack. Notices will go home before Memorial Day, allowing students to bring in money for the classroom sales. They will have a number of opportunities to get duck numbers before Field Day. June 6 will be the final day for buying, so an earlier response will avoid a missed opportunity!

Don't miss out on the fun!