By Sienna Ryan & Piper Marshall
The second year of the freshman Mentors program at Nyack High School has officially begun! Following the success of last year’s debut, the program enters the ‘25-’26 school year with a new round of seniors and juniors devoting their time to aid the class of 2030 through the changes that freshman year presents. This year’s sophomores felt it was fun and welcoming. Lyla Christiano told us, "I found the mentorship to be fun and all the mentors were extremely kind and helpful. However, I do wish there had been more frequent meetings, or that the mentors reached out more to the mentees.” We asked Dean Bradley-- an educator at the forefront of the program-- a few questions about the origins and desired outcomes of this project.
Q: What motivated you to establish the freshmen mentorship program?
A: The motivation for the freshman mentor program came from Ms. Saieva, Mr. Cedeno, Mr. Teasdale, Mr. Smith and I are working as a team to help smooth the transition for the incoming freshmen into the high school. We believed it would help in developing a stronger school community, allowing for students to feel more connected with their older peers as well as being able to receive first hand experiences and guidance from upperclassmen that were in the same situation not too long ago.
Q: How has the program evolved from last year to this year?
A: The program has evolved in creating scheduled meeting dates to help with consistency and allowing there to be follow up on previous meetings and check-ins.
Q: How will this benefit the freshmen?
A: It will give the freshmen another outlet for help and support. It may open them up to join different clubs or programs that there may have been some fear or hesitation about. Ultimately, we believe it will make them more comfortable and give them a sense of family.
Q: Do you think this program will help the upperclassmen in addition to the freshmen?
A: I believe it will definitely help the upperclassmen. I would also like to mention how grateful I am [for] the upperclassmen volunteering to help because without them it would not be possible. I think it will benefit them because they learn how to be leaders, they lead with compassion, and how to support. It will hopefully give them a sense of accomplishment and happiness that they are impacting the lives of not only other Nyack students but maybe their lives personally as well.
Q: What are your goals for the program?
A: Our goals for the program would be that all the freshmen find a way to connect with the upperclassman and have a level of comfort that they can seek help and support. Another goal would be that the freshmen would have a great experience and be willing to be a part of the program as they become juniors and seniors.
We hope that this year the program really excels in Mr. Bradley’s goals and become a place where the freshmen feel supported. Good luck with the rest of your first year, freshmen! And like Mr. Bradley said, thank you to the upperclassmen who make this program possible!