FITCH HIGH SCHOOL Program teams staff members, freshmen

By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- At first, Fitch High School freshman De'Lisa Ballard was skeptical about taking part in her school's new mentoring program. The program is designed, in part, to give students an opportunity to talk about their problems, hopes and lives with an adult and other students.
"I thought it was going to be corny," De'Lisa said.
After three mentoring sessions, however, De'Lisa has found that corny isn't necessarily a bad thing.
"It's like we can express anything we want and [the mentor] listens to us," she said. "We feel like a family in there. I know that sounds corny."
The program, which began in January, calls for groups of 12 to 14 Fitch freshmen to meet with mentors once a month for 40 minutes. About 35 Fitch staff members are serving as mentors for the school's 400 freshmen this year, said Phil Latessa, Fitch's principal for freshmen.
Latessa noted that the mentors aren't necessarily teachers. Any staff member can serve as a mentor, he said.
The school is paying for the program using a $40,000 grant from the state department of education. The grant can be renewed for next school year, Latessa said, and school officials are hoping they can secure funding to keep the program running in the future.
Like a family
Fitch science teacher and mentor Marla Morton said the mentoring program allows students to feel like they are part of a "small family in a huge place." It also gives students an opportunity to have a friendly conversation with a staff member they may come to see as a role model, Morton said.
"It's not a classroom situation," added science teacher and mentor Angela Barker. "You're not there as an authority figure. They're not looking at us as an authority figure."
Freshman Stafani Lucente added, "You don't see them as a teacher. You see them as someone you could go to."
Stafani also said the mentoring program gives students a chance to get to know one another. She noted that students come to Fitch from two middle schools and several parochial schools and as a result, they don't always know their classmates when they are freshmen.
"It's so interesting, to meet different people," Stafani said. Freshman Evan Leskovec added, "If you're new, you don't know a lot of people."
Building character
Some mentors noted that as part of the program, they're working to develop in students six "Pillars of Character": Caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness. During some mentoring sessions, the mentors take the students through activities designed to stress the six pillars.
Earlier this year, mentors had students tie themselves in a human knot by grabbing their fellow students' arms and shoulders. They then had to untie the knot without letting go.
Mentors said the activity helped develop the qualities of determination and trust in the students.
"We learned how to work as a team," added freshman Tom DeToro.
Mentors and students also are hoping the sessions will help the Fitch community address some of the school's problems. Students have been taking part in a survey to identify those problems.
So far, the survey has identified foul language, cheating, general sloppiness and pushing and shoving in the halls as some of the school's problems.
"People get mad over the stupidest stuff," said freshman Cassandra Stevens.
Science teacher and mentor Suzette Jackson said that through the mentor sessions, students can learn to take responsibility for solving the school's problems.
"They'll almost be able to police themselves," said science teacher and mentor Ann Marie Martin.
Through 12th grade
The mentors are expected to continue to meet with the same group of students during each of the next three years, when they are sophomores, juniors and seniors. During those years, each new freshman also will be assigned a mentoring group expected to work with them for four years.
The program will continue to grow until each Fitch student has a mentor.
"By the time we're seniors, maybe the school will change" for the better, Cassandra said.
Stafani said she'd like Fitch freshmen to be able to travel to district middle schools as part of the program and talk to eighth-graders about what they can expect in high school. De'Lisa said she'd like the program to allow students to volunteer with local community organizations.
hill@vindy.com