The Lincoln Log

Photo by Douglas Hwa

Freshmen academia has always been a priority here at Abraham Lincoln High School, but this year it seems stressed, especially with the Jump Start, Peer Mentor, and faculty-freshmen mentor Programs. The question raised in many of us, though, is why the seemingly sudden interest, and will these new strategies really work?

For one thing, this program does not seem sudden; it is. This is the first year that Lincoln High has been sporting a faculty-freshman mentorship program. The very basis of the program, spelled out in its description, is to mentor at-risk freshmen students, where their status is based on grades and attendance. Were freshman grades and attendance not important last year? Why the new interest in how our bungling lower classmen are doing? Jump Start, a peer operated, freshmen oriented program touched on last issue, was also only first implemented this last fall, further perpetrating the view that all these changes, even though they are they best seem to be coming a little late. What about all of the graduated classes and Lincoln alumni who did not have the privilege of a right start with the opportunities that these programs offer?

This program was started when freshmen counselor Betty Hom noticed that perhaps as much as half the ninth-grade class received at least one D or F. Acting upon this observation, she started a collaborative effort with Peer Resource Head Chris Pepper, and came up with the Mustang Mentor program. This program allows any Lincoln staff member to choose a freshman student (up to four) out of the group identified as at-risk, and to then make contact as soon as possible. Mentors are instructed to make it very clear that they were not included in the program for disciplinary reasons, and to then commit to meeting regularly, not bound by tutoring or academic assistance, although mentors are encouraged to look in on their mentee’s studies, but to be their in a primary role of support and guidance.

The program was first announced to faculty in December, and sign-ups were left open until we all came back from winter break; and things started taking place. The student need and feeling toward the program seemed optimistic, and so did that of the staff. Last year the Wellness Center gave a survey to all Lincoln High faculty members: 38 percent of teachers intoned a desire for ideas in how to cultivate a good relationship with struggling students.

However, ALHS Assistant Principal Mr. Barnaby Payne made it very clear that the object of the mentorship wasn’t to point accusing fingers at teachers not involved, but “to merely offer another means of connecting freshmen to the Lincoln community.”

“It has been obvious to Lincoln administration and staff that students involved in any extra-curricular activity, academy, club, and so on, tend to have higher academic achievement,” Payne said. “This is simply another way out of the dozen already offered to plug students in.”

It is only fair that we also point out that while this program might be a new one, Lincoln High has been focusing on support of its students in other areas long before this. Sports, academies, clubs, visual or performing art programs, as well as others, have been well used throughout the Lincoln community to help the students connect. We can only hope this one, new to the ranks, will be as well embraced as others.

“I am encouraged by the reports I’ve heard from teachers and students who have come to me,” Payne said when asked how he thought the program was progressing.