The Cafeteria Connection: How the UHS-Campus School Lunch Buddy Program is Making Change

Zoe Ham

April 23, 2025

There are many ways to get involved at UHS, and one way for our eleventh graders is to join our Lunch Buddies program. Lunch Buddies is a program where students go to Campus Elementary School and spend time with a fifth-grade student they were “buddied” up with.

To be a Lunch Buddy, there are a few requirements. Dr. H.J. says, “... we aim to ensure that the students selected are both in good academic and behavior standing at UHS, fully embodying our core values of positivity, respect, inclusivity, dedication, and excellence.” Students must also be a junior or senior and are trained by Dr. Scott, the principal of Campus School. This ensures that the students selected will do well in their roles and that the elementary students will have a more positive influence.

Building connections with the students is also important. Stephen Stearnes, a Lunch Buddies mentor, said that to build connections with his mentee, he “would hang out in the courtyard in Campus School during lunchtime. We would walk around the garden and talk about the flowers, fish, and insects that lived there. It was a lot of fun, and my mentee enjoyed it every time.”

These connections have actually proved to be very helpful for the kids. According to All Students Can Shine, the buddy system can “help boost student performance, confidence, and positive peer interactions.” Connection also helps the kids feel as though they have someone to rely on. Stephen shared a moment when he had to give his mentee advice, saying, “Once, my mentee was struggling with a test. I told him that no matter what, he should always try his best and never give up, even if he was doubting his own skills.”

However, the elementary schoolers are not the only ones who benefit from this program. “I know that our students who have participated take great joy in doing this,” said Dr. H.J. Another benefit is that students are able to improve themselves in school. Stephen said, “Mentoring at Campus School has made me much more successful as a student. Being a part of the classroom environment as a teacher assistant-like figure has helped me realize my own flaws as a student.”

Overall, the program has been a huge success for both schools, and most students are able to benefit. The program has not yet reached its full potential, as Dr. H.J. says, “I hope that we can have more mentors and mentees in the future, and maybe they'll complete a cool project together, or at least share more about what they've mutually learned at the end of the program.” Hopefully, the program will continue to expand and create a positive impact on our community.