The school year is just heating up, which means new opportunities and beginnings are at hand. As the senior class met with Mrs. Lashonette Kemp, the University Academy Upper School principal, during the second week of school, she came up with the fun idea to loosely implement an “adopt-a-freshman” program.
In simple terms, this is a mentoring plan. UA has lots of freshmen this year, 101 to be exact, and Mrs. Kemp wants seniors to show the freshmen the ropes. Although this isn’t an official program, lots of seniors have taken the initiative to participate.
Ashlee Ford, a senior at UA, is one of the students who has adopted a freshman. When picking out freshmen, Ford said it works best to just play it by ear.
Ford said, “Basically, I ear hustle in the hallways to choose my freshman.“
She said she listens to hear about ninth graders who could benefit from some guidance from an older student.
Many seniors are willing to lend a helping hand because they have been in freshman shoes before.
“I believed I struggled a lot with the school work entering high school, and I didn’t have anybody to piggyback off of or help me through my assignments,” Ford said.
Not only is mentoring something seniors enjoy, but they also benefit from it, not just the freshmen.
Ford said she’s improved her own communication skills through the mentoring program.
“Going up to [the freshmen], having a change in tone, and learning how to speak with others was a big benefit I got from mentoring others,” she said
The senior side of things is different from the freshman side, where the person is on the receiving end of the help. Kevon Farquharson, a freshman at UA who transferred into UA from an outside middle school this year, receives help with multiple things.
“I have two mentors. Ashlee is very helpful. She helps me with history work and is very respectful. My other mentor, Courtne’ [Speed], helps me with work, also. And Ashlee checks up on me outside of school and makes sure my [mental health] is okay,” Farquharson said.
The seniors are not just picking freshmen to pick them, though. They are carefully looking for students who might need the most help or redirection.
Farquharson said, “I was confused about what it was until I got the hang of it, and [Ashlee Ford] she helped me. I appreciate them taking time out of their day to help me.”
Hopefully the Class of 2025 continues to improve and flourish throughout the school year by lending a helping hand to anyone in need.
If any freshman is looking for a senior mentor, try just asking a senior for help. You can also try reaching out to the office to see if they could help arrange a mentor.
