Sometimes, things just make sense. For teachers, students and administration at Marion W. Savage Elementary School and St. John the Baptist Catholic School, a new program is doing just that.

Each week, 42 eighth graders cross the church parking lot and head over the their neighbor’s classrooms at the public elementary school to serve as mentors in a new Study Buddies program.Study Buddies: Adam Lambrecht from
St. John’s helps M. W. Savage first
grader Carter Villelli find the right page
in science text book. The two schools
have a new program, Study Buddies,
where eighth graders mentor
elementary school children.

St. John’s students spread out their volunteer time throughout the week and go into 11 classrooms. Some assist teachers by helping students find the right page or pass out papers. Others tutor students in subjects they need help in; while some go to the media center and help with book shelving or read to children in small groups.

“This is a win-win situation” said M.W. Savage Principal Ron Cin. “The eighth graders fulfill a service project … and for us, we know it will have an impact on student achievement.”

St. John’s Assistant Principal Mike Smalley said it’s a good place for students to gain leadership skills. “This is a great opportunity for these kids,” he said. “Next year they’ll be going to high school and they gain some leadership through this (program).”

The eighth graders take time out of their religion classes each week to spend about an hour at with their “buddies.”

Darian Haider, who helps out in a first-grade science class, said she likes to go to the school because she gets to be a role model. “Kids look up to you,” she said. “You get to be a role model to them and tell them what’s going on.”

Kari Deering, a second-grade teacher at M.W. Savage, has four volunteers in her classroom each week. They help with many subject areas, some give help in math skills and other help with journal writing.

“The kids are very helpful,” she said. “I think it’s very beneficial for my grade level and my class.”

Deering said she has already seen improvement in her students’ work as they are getting things done on pace and some of the students who were at risk to fall behind are keeping up.

Deb Pitton, a member of St. John’s and a former member of the District 191 School Board, was instrumental in getting the program on its feet. She brainstormed with a cultural outreach committee at the church to extend outreach locally. The church has a sister parish in Mississippi where the young adults successfully teach vacation Bible school classes and literacy classes in the summertime.

“We thought ‘how can we provide opportunities for our young people to use their gifts and reach out right here?’” she said.

The answer was the mentorship program.

“Sometimes there are not enough resources available for students who need extra help,” Pitton said. “This has potential for supporting both schools.”

 Keighla Schmidt can be reached at kschmidt@swpub.com.