Peer Group Connections (PGC) at The College Academy empowers juniors and seniors to help freshmen create a successful transition from middle school to high school. The program mentors are nominated based on their academic standings and interactions with peers. Being involved in Peer Group Connections involves creating out reach sessions once a week in order to help freshmen strengthen their interpersonal and academic skills .  This program is entitled to be a full credit class for juniors and seniors and create a year long leadership class guided by school faculty advisors during regular school hours.

When first hearing about PGC I did not know the many activities and lesson learning I was going to encounter. To dive in depth about our advisors, PGC student leaders and the program as a whole I investigated the impact that PGC has had to on all students involved.  Through my interviews I stepped into the shoes of an actual teacher, preparing lessons and activities to see how PGC student leaders support 9th graders as they develop their academic and interpersonal skills.

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I spoke with PGC advisor Samatha Melo to learn more about the program.

Why were you interested in involving PGC at TCA?

Melo: Actually, Mr. Sigerson was the one who really pushed for this initiative way before I even became a staff member at TCA. I think he was really interested in the idea of the upper classmen supporting our ninth grade students he thought it was important for them to have guidance while there here at TCA. I think the freshman years is usually really difficult for students and having upper class man be there guide and sort of serve as like a big brother and big sister in the school has proven to be a really good initiative. So, it was actually from Sigerson I  was very excited to implement the program, because I’ve seen it be successful in other schools and there are other opportunities that come from it. I think we focus a lot of the ninth graders, but you’ll also see how the upper class man grow in the program and how they become a lot more responsible a lot more connected to the school. Their attendance tends to improve and they find something that brings them joy while finishing there career of high school.”

How did you think PGC would influence the different grade levels in our education?

Melo: Well, like I mentioned before I think the support that the ninth graders get from seniors and juniors is really important.  It kind of puts things into perspective for them very early on the importance of passing their classes and getting involved in different events in different activities, sports and clubs. It makes the ninth graders maximize there year in TCA and then for the upper classmen the 11th and 12th graders it kind of just build leadership for them.  It gives them something to look forward to, something to write on there resume, and something to celebrate when they graduate. As like, I was able to impact these amount of students  the relationships that they built with the younger students is really nice to see some of them continue there relationship after graduating. So, I think it impacts them very positively.

I learned more about the program from program advisor Sorel Dean.

How do you as an advisor feel about guiding PGC leaders?

Dean: It is a privilege and a honor to be part of this program, because I really love the idea of mentorship. In the past I have helped a lot of young teachers go through their first year and now I get to do that with our juniors and seniors many who I’ve also taught as freshman. So it’s amazing to kind of see that full circle, it’s an honor because I get to see grow in a different way and I have so much respect for this work even more so than  I have in my 12 years, because it’s a completely new lens for me.”

Do you think their can be solutions to roller coasters along the way if it get’s overwhelming?

Dean: Absolutely! I think that overwhelming points in the year is natural especially as a teacher. As somebody going through mentorship for PGC members. Mentoring  freshman your getting a very different version of that, because you guys are still in school. There are ways to over come it’s really important that we see and spend time reflecting on the work that we do, we celebrate the really big accomplishments that we made. But, also were mindful of things that we could change over the course of the year, many of you have done really well about advocating for yourself and I am super proud. It’s kind of an amazing experience.  But, I know that there is always going to be a growth point and it’ s important to understand regardless of how many years you been doing this there will always be that point of growth and it’s a good thing, it means that you will never stop learning. You know to be a mentor is to be a student all over again, is to learn from your students as well.”

Looking for a student leader point of view, I spoke with Jayla Montgomery-Smith.

How has your experience been as a PGC leader?

Montgomery-Smith: My experience has been okay so far, you know theirs been some ups and downs, but you know were getting through it and is been pretty decent.”

How has PGC impacted who you are as a Senior or Person? 

Montgomery-Smith: It’s impacted who I am, because it empowers me to help empower other people.”

How has this help freshmen transition from middle school to high school?

Montgomery-Smith: This helps them, because sometimes they made need help with realizing the things that they do and how they mature. So, is better help them see how it looks from the outside, so they can think of their actions and than better mature themselves.”

Junior PGC leader Jeilyn Gonell also lend some perspective on this program.

Why did you make the decision to help these freshman’s become a better version of themselves as a PGC leader?

Gonell: My freshman year personally, I did not have anybody to really look up to, so I could make better decisions. So that, like kind of affected me and my academic standings.”

How has PGC made you feel when working with advisors and balancing the academic life.

Gonell: I am not sure, but I would say it has been kind of hard balancing my academic life, because I have AP classes that I also need to do.”

Finally to gain the insights of a ninth grader involved I spoke with ninth grader Naomi.

Que fue una experiencia que te ha gustado de PGC?

Naomi: Que nos ayudan en la ser y nos hacen  actividades cheveres y gramáticas.

Como PGC te ha sido crecer durante la temporada de la secundaria?

Naomi: Reflexionar las cosas que son buenas y a las vez malas.

Y como te sentiste cuando entraste a PGC?

Naomi: Bien! y comoda ya que nos ayudaron en bastante cosas y a reflexionar.

Tu crees que ha maduraste un poquito con tus academic?

Naomi: Si! porque ya con toda las prácticas que nos han dado pensado mejor las cosas y ya no pienso como una niña de doce anos.

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So we can see how PGC at TCA has created a strong bonds and opportunities for both TCA ninth graders as well as their upper classmen advisors. Being involved with under classmates and upper class-mates that would further impact how we grow as a team of leaders and influence our and our peers skills into the real world later on in life.