Peer Helpers is a program that gives the “opportunity for students to build connections, increase a sense of belonging, and have a space for people to have conversations that might be challenging to have with adults,” co-leader of the program and Upper School school counselor Kirstin Williams said.
For junior Dev Weiss, “Peer Helpers is all about students helping students academically, socially, and emotionally.”
The program started three years ago when Williams came to Parker and noticed problems with the school culture. Williams was “pretty struck by the way that some students treated other students” and felt that “[Parker] didn’t always feel like a really kind space.” She explained that it is “hard for teachers or for adults to try to shift the culture” because “it really needs to be peer to peer” in order to create change. While attending a seminar, she heard a presentation about a program called Peer Helpers. Williams realized it was “exactly what could be really beneficial to Parker” because the program focuses on students helping other students create a more positive culture.
“I wanted to be a Peer Helper because as I was moving to the Upper School I saw a shift in culture and in the way we respect one another,” sophomore Sloane Trukenbrod said. “There is a clear issue in the way we treat each other, and when there are students who advocate for compassion and thoughtfulness, it feels like there is someone on your side, and that’s the person I strive to be.”
However, this program’s impact was smaller than anticipated. It was harder to make an impact “partly because it was just really hard to build momentum. I think student schedules and all of the special MXs got in the way of us really being present,” Williams said.
In terms of student impact, this year as Peer Helpers, the students hosted a freshman finals tips slideshows, and they worked to build the program for what it would look like in the future. “I think the impact of the program this year has been mostly showing the Upper School that we exist, we are here for the students, and we are incredibly ambitious in our plans for the coming years,” Trukenbrod said. “Peer Helpers was new this year, so we had to undergo training and create a framework for the program to succeed in the context of Parker,” Weiss said.
With the school year coming to an end, the program’s focus was on Wellnesspalooza, which was on May 22. “This is a day where you get the entire afternoon off from school to participate in activities that better your mental health. Wellnesspalooza includes activities such as therapy dogs, slime making, yoga, meditation, and so much more,” Trukenbrod said.
Next year Peer Helpers will be a seminar class. It will meet on Day 1 and during Civic Lab blocks and do things like teaching ninth grade LifeKit, planning school-wide wellness initiatives, and being mentors and buddies throughout the school. The program is also planning to have a summer training day where the Peer Helpers will set the foundation for the year ahead and start the year as a team.
Current Peer Helpers have strong hopes and ideas for next year and the program’s future. These ideas and new events include LifeKits and continuing to host Wellnesspalloza. They also hope to do mini-activities throughout the school year to better students’ mental health. While Peer Helpers primarily spent this year finding their footing and place within Parker, next year they will hit the ground running.
