This year saw a new freshman-sophomore mentor program, led by sophomore Carlos Lopez, enter the Parker community. Lopez, the Inclusion Coordinator on cabinet in the Upper School Student Government, believed Parker needed something like this to help better integrate freshmen coming from different schools.

In the program, every new-to-Parker freshman gets a sophomore mentor who was also new to Parker as a freshman. The freshmen and their sophomore mentors are matched by similar interests. “I basically wanted to pair up new freshmen with sophomores who were new their freshmen year so the current freshmen who are new would have a smooth transition and integration,” Lopez said. “The goal of the program would not only be to help new students integrate into the school, but whenever things got rough they would have a person to lean on.”

Sophomore Annette Njei lines the program. “I think it’s a good way for the freshman to be integrated,” she said. “I know last year, for me, it wasn’t the best time. Being new to Parker made it harder for me because I didn’t know the gist of it. Having someone to go to is a great support system.”

Lopez knew the feeling. “I applied for Inclusion Coordinator and one of the things I wanted to do was create this mentorship program,” he said, “so kids who were new to Parker their freshman year did not have to go through all the things me and so many others had to go through.”

Lopez had some help with executing this idea. “No one really helped me come up with the idea,” he said, “but there are a lot of people who made it possible.” Among those who helped are Upper School Counselor  Binita Donohue, Upper School English teacher and Freshman Grade Head Cory Zeller, Upper School History teacher and Student Government Faculty advisor Jeanne Barr, junior Priscilla Roman, and Njei.

“Our role is to support and facilitate,” Donohue said. “He did all the work. I helped with talking through goals. The goal is to not always have to identify as new kid, but you identify as a Parker student.”

With this help, Lopez’s idea came to life. “They helped me get everything going and turning the idea into a reality,” Lopez  I also couldn’t have done it without the mentors who were willing to participate. ”

The program was not made to replace Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a program in which every freshman gets paired with a senior. “My program isn’t at all replacing Big Brothers/Big Sisters, but years ago freshmen were given big brothers and big sisters, but it never worked out well,” Lopez said. “On the other hand when you match up a freshman and a sophomore, the difference isn’t very big, and the result is a lot closer to the goals I have for the program.”

Lopez has big hopes for this program. “ I can easily see it lasting well until after I am alive,” he said. “It would need some more reforming and tweaking, but hopefully this will last and have a positive impact.”

The program has only held one meeting so far, and freshman Estelle Heltzer found it helpful. “It’s been really good to have someone to go to whenever I need advice, or just anything in general since I’m new,” Heltzer said. “I’m definitely looking forward to the future meetings. I especially can’t wait to connect more with my Sophomore mentor.”