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!

Buddy Duck Race 

coming

for Field Day!

(stay on the lookout for duck registrations)

yummy-filled tummies

Our baking event was a great success, providing dozens of delicious cookies for mentees to share with family, teachers, and even their mentors. The traditional Toll House recipe served us well, and allowed students to substitute white chocolate for some of the usual semi-sweet chocolate, and to add a few walnuts if desired.
The youngest bakers produced the best looking cookies (they rolled the dough, and the resulting cookies were bakery-perfect in appearance), while everyone could declare a best-taste achievement!

Thank you to the kitchen staff who welcomed us for the afternoon. The Barstow kitchen is a great place for group baking, and we were delighted to have that opportunity.