For Kristie Cameron, a teacher at Westerville North High School, ensuring students feel connected and supported is top priority,. which is why she worked to create the Big Warrior, Little Warrior mentorship program.
The program, which started through a pen pals initiative in 2020, connects students across grade levels in order to help mentor the younger kids Little Warriors and build leadership skills in the older Big Warriors, Cameron says.
“(The) Big Warrior, Little Warrior (program) is really to try to connect across grade levels in our district,” Cameron says. “It’s about creating a tight-knit community.”
The name comes from Westerville North’s “Warrior Way”: respect your community, respect your family, respect your classmates, respect your school, respect yourself.
While the program includes students from 9th to 12th grade, Cameron shares that they specifically focus on getting freshmen and sophomores involved so the students have a chance to build lasting relationships with the younger students as they grow.
“We want to follow these students from 1st grade to 2nd grade and so on, so it’s not just one year – it’s building solid relationships over the years,” she says. “If kids don’t feel like they are loved and cared for, what’s the point?”
The Big Warriors go through a rigorous application process in order to join the program. They submit video applications as well as a Google form that details their interest and reasons for joining. Students applying to the leadership committee must provide letters of recommendation from teachers to be considered for the positions.
“We really wanted to get the kids to commit to it and see the value of it,” Cameron says.
After two years of battling COVID-19 restrictions, the Big Warriors and Little Warriors finally met in person at the school this year.
“The first trip we went on, it literally brought tears to my eyes,” Cameron says. “We had worked so hard on this … and it was a beautiful thing. It was natural for the high school kids to step into being a leader and for the little kids to attach to them and look up to them.”
The high school students – Big Warriors – visit the Wilder, Mark Twain and Hawthorne elementary schools once per quarter. The mentorship program works with each elementary school to complement what the younger students are currently learning. For Wilder Elementary, this means teaching lessons about the Wilder Way – a similar set of standards toas the Warrior Way that asks the students to be respectful, responsible and ready to learn.
Abby Heck, a senior and Big Warrior from Westerville North, says that they have discussed friendship and sportsmanship – two key aspects of the Warrior Way – so far this year. When the Big Warriors visit the schools, the day begins by reading a story provided by the administration that introduces the lesson, she says. Then they go on to play games that help the Little Warriors put the new concept into practice. After lunch together, the Big Warriors and Little Warriors go to recess. The time the Warriors spend together is as much about learning as it is about having fun and building friendships.
But the Little Warriors aren’t the only ones learning valuable lessons; the Big Warriors are benefitting from the program as well.
“It’s definitely helped me learn to talk to younger kids. … It’s adding those communication skills,” Heck says.
Tahira Johnson, a senior and Big Warrior at Westerville North, shares that connecting with the younger students has given her perspective on her experience at high school.
“Helping first -graders out and reading with them and seeing their level of engagement and evolution of their abilities throughout the year is really nice,” Johnson says. “The Big Warriors are a part of the program because they really want to be there.”
The students are making a significant impact on their community, and others are starting to take notice.
Natalie Cross, a school counselor working at Wilder, sees the positive impact of the program every day from how the kids play at recess to how they make new friendships.
“I love seeing the first-grade students’ faces light up when we say their Warrior is coming. They are more focused … and they laugh and they think it is so special,” Cross says.
Later on this year, the Little Warriors will enjoy a night of free basketball at the Westerville North High School. Not only is this a fun event for the families, but the kids benefit from seeing the high schoolers in a competitive yet friendly environment, Cameron says.
As the program continues to grow, Cameron’s hope is that Big Warrior, Little Warrior builds a stronger community of support and love both in and outside of the schools.
Katie Giffin is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
