Hillcrest High School Creates Mentor Program For Students

OAK FOREST, IL — Bremen High School District 228's Hillcrest High School has started a mentoring program for freshman students, by teaming up with National Honor Society students to learn the ropes of high school and get support.

The Hillcrest NHS, along with Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) staff and students, teamed up to develop the mentoring program for freshmen students. The program is called "Hawk Mentors," and so far, each NHS and FCCLA student was assigned 2-3 freshmen students to mentor for the second semester.

The district said the purpose of this program is to help freshmen students adjust to high school, and make them feel welcome at Hillcrest. Every month, the NHS and FCCLA students will have a topic to cover with their mentees. The mentors will also check in with their mentees once a week, to provide support and "mini-lessons" to help them succeed. The theme for January is "New Year, New Year," according to the district.

"Our NHS and FCCLA students are excited and honored to give back to our school by helping our freshmen students," said Michelle Youngberg, Hillcrest High School Family & Consumer Sciences Teacher.

The first virtual meet up happened earlier this month.

This program adds to a list of growing developments to the district, that provide support to students during the pandemic. Earlier this month, four students developed a project called "Invisible Inspirations," aimed to ease stress during the pandemic. The students anonymously sent letters of encouragement, resources for self-care, prepackaged string and instructions to make a bracelet, stress balls and hand sanitizer to students, in an effort to remind their peers that "they're in this together and nobody is alone."

In December, the district participated in the national Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) student body peer education program. The program taught students to make healthy lifestyle choices in terms of diet, exercise and communication skills.

Bremen High School District 228 schools include Bremen High School, Tinley Park High School, Hillcrest High School and Oak Forest High School. The district serves the Midlothian, Posen, Tinley Park, Markham, Hazel Crest, Country Club Hills and Oak Forest communities.