For the Early College High School senior class of 2013, they will graduate knowing they’ve helped prompt the senior class of 2016 for future achievement.
ECHS has started a mentoring program this year, which pairs seniors with first year high school students. The program was started to give all incoming freshmen a strong support system during their transition into high school, said Angel Paxton, principal at ECHS.
“We want to help guide them during the time we are here,” said Christopher Martinez, senior at ECHS. “Students can make mistakes their first year. We want to give them advice, because this is an important time when colleges start looking at them.”
Freshmen aren’t the only ones who benefit from the program; the participating seniors gain experience in organization. They keep a senior mentor binder, and have monthly meetings with the seven or eight students they mentor, said Elexis Chapa, senior at ECHS.
During their meetings, the mentors review the freshmen’s progress reports, provide tutoring and take them four times a year to Texas State Technical College (TSTC) for lunch in a college setting.
If the mentors have any concerns with the progress of their students, they have the ability to report them to administration or submit recommendations for academic advancement.
The response from the students involved has been enthusiastic, Paxton said. The seniors can regularly be seen organizing events for their next meeting, and freshmen searching the halls for their mentors.
“The mentors have really helped me out this year,” said Alicia Chapa, freshman at ECHS. “I’ve benefitted from being in the program, and I hope they continue doing it. I want to become a mentor when I’m a senior to help someone like they have helped me.”
My daughter Elisa Nicole Cruz is a freshman this year at ECHS. I am very pleased with the mentoring program that they have. This has really helped in the transitioning from middle school to high school. I think this is an excellent program that will benefit alot of freshman students to continue to be at their best for years to come. It teaches them alot of organization and discipline for years to come. I would like to thank the mentors and the school staff members for an outstanding school and programs available for my daughter.
Sincerely,
Diana P Cruz
I am so proud of all of the students at ECHS and for the seniors who stepped up and agreed to be mentors for our freshmen. It is the support the freshmen need to make a smoothe transition to not only high school but also college. Way to go ECHS Seniors. Following the character expectations that make our school great! Go OWLS.
I am so proud of this mentoring program! It mirrors what many universities across the state have in place at the collegiate level. What a wonderful resource for our freshmen! It is also great experience for our seniors.
Thank you Ms. Cruz. Just as Mrs. Chamberlain said, this mirrors the program support that Colleges and Universities provide to their freshmen. We are doing our best to provide our students with a full college experience and that includes the academic support that they need to be successful. Thank you for your support of ECHS.