At lunchtime on Thursday at Lowry High School, students ate pizza and talked about the upcoming football game. Nothing unusual about this scenario except this lunchtime meeting was between students struggling with their grades and their new student mentors.
Principal Ray Parks said he and some of the Humboldt County School District staff identified some 60 freshmen students and about 20 sophomore students who were struggling academically. These students are now in an academic success group and one component of the group is having student mentors.
At the last school board meeting, Parks said early intervention with credit deficient freshman and sophomore students was imperative, and that the more people that check on these students, the better the outcome for student. Teachers, administrators, counselors and student-mentors all provide academic assistance and general guidance to these freshmen and sophomore students.
Upper-classmen Meg Montero and Cecily Snow talked with a group of four freshman boys over pizza at lunch on Thursday where the academic success students met with Lowry Leadership mentor students.
"I'm excited for the plans Mr. Parks has for the year, and I think things like this will be helpful in raising grades for the academic success students," said Montero. "So, it's good to just have a conversation and lighten the mood," said Montero.
Sophomore Isaac Guariglia said he was in the academic success group and he feels like he is starting to do better in his classes.
"I'm actually trying this year because I want to play sports," said Guariglia because to participate in sports, he'll have to keep up his grades.
Julia Topholm and Tanya Grady co-teach the leadership class which is comprised of the class officers for each grade and the student body leaders.
"We are trying to reach out to these kids who are behind in credits," said Grady. "The kids are just introducing themselves and making that first connection."
Towards the end of lunch, senior Brycen Prokasky spoke to the students.
"People here have put their faith in you, and you have the potential inside of you," said Prokasky.
Parks said he was going to do everything possible to ensure the academic students avoid becoming credit-deficient.
"If they can avoid becoming credit-deficient, where they have to take the same core classes over and over again, they can take elective classes that keep them interested in school," said Parks. "Whether that class is shop, art, welding or whatever, they won't lose interest and drop-out."[[In-content Ad]]
