FMP could combine what has been done in the past by sponsoring activities all together in the gym as well as small group lessons in classrooms.
The Freshmen Mentoring Program, or FMP, as it is commonly referred to, was created to bridge the gap between upperclassmen and freshmen who are new to the building and the experience of high school.
FMP was started by Pete Theoharis and ran from 2004 to 2016 until it was cut by former principal Thomas Szlanda due to a scheduling change.
Although the program was cut, many staff members remember the impact of FMP and see a hole in school spirit and connection between the classes. Nolan Laux saw the program’s impact firsthand as a former mentor. He now sees how the school is different without FMP.
“When I went to school here, we had FMP. I thought it was beneficial in many aspects,” Nolan Laux said. “It got freshmen familiar with the school culture and made them more comfortable in a new environment.”
Principal Jeff Linden wants to make new students feel more comfortable at HHS and sees how bringing back FMP could benefit the school.
“I think trying to bring more of a welcoming environment to our freshmen or new people coming in, so we can get them off to a good start. That’s very important because when you’re new, you don’t know anybody, so just giving them a peer connection where they have a familiar face,” Linden said.
Pete Theoharis did a lot of the planning for FMP up until it ended eight years ago and would assume the same role if the program was started up again.
“It was an all-school effort. The whole school really got behind it. I thought there were a lot of positives that came out of it,” Theoharis said.
Kendra Laux, a former sponsor of FMP, believes that it was a solution for the common problem of getting freshmen involved and comfortable with high school and everything that comes with it.
“I do think there is a need (to bring back the FMP). I think it’s good guidance for the freshmen, and it helps them with the basics of adapting to high school,” Laux said. “FMP helps freshmen come into the high school schedule and how finals, pep rallies, and school events work.”
The most impactful part of the FMP is the personal connection between students of different grades who otherwise wouldn’t know each other.
“I think it was really good for the freshmen to develop some relationships with the upperclassmen. They would see them in the halls, and they would acknowledge each other and really make the freshmen feel welcome,” Laux said. “I also thought there were a lot of fun things we did that brought a lot of fun and memories to the high school, where you still have the academics, but you can also have fun stuff too.”
Pete Theoharis remembers FMP helping students feel like a part of the high school quicker than they do now.
“I think we have a disconnect with freshmen, especially if they don’t have an older sibling, and understanding what high school is like. So I think again, having those juniors and seniors that are outgoing, that are welcoming, really helps a kid feel more part of Hastings High quicker,” Theoharis said. “So I think we’re missing that.”
FMP encouraged freshmen to get involved and show school spirit. Student involvement in extracurricular activities is increasingly more of a problem every year especially since FMP ended.
“You could go down a whole litany of items that we tackled (in FMP), but I think all of them really helped kids to get more acclimated (to high school). And are there other ways to do it? Absolutely, and I think that we try to do that through things like PBIS,” Theoharis said. “The only reason I would say FMP was the most effective is because I think freshmen are impressed with upperclassmen and look up to them, and I think it’s maybe easier to connect with peers than it is a teacher telling you. I think if it’s a fellow classmate, a fellow Tiger, that comes up to them, kids are more likely to do that than having an educator trying to get them to (be involved).”
FMP was successful due to the lack of commitment it required. Its laid-back style and convenience of already being in attendance made participating in FMP automatic.
“(The activities) have no academic weight to them, so any freshman who was willing to throw themselves into it could be good at it. FMP developed that Big Brother Big Sister type of bond,” Greg Mays said.
Former HHS student and FMP mentor Brandon Kile remembers different benefits of the program having been both a mentor and mentee in the program.
“But I think obviously, from a mentee perspective you just feel included. You meet those upperclassmen who I think a lot of freshmen, they maybe wouldn’t admit it when they’re there or even after the fact, but they admire and look up to those upperclassmen,” Kile said.
The upperclassmen who help with FMP also benefited from the program.
Kile believes that giving the upperclassmen an opportunity to grow, lead, and connect with their mentee is just as beneficial as the freshman having a mentor.
“Another thing that I remember about it is it’s a good resume builder for the upperclassmen. It’s a good experience for them as well. You’re starting to become a leader. You’re put in a position where you’re giving instruction, you’re going through lessons, you’re leading lessons, things like that. So I think that it’s a good experience on both ends for the young and for the seniors who are getting that experience.”
The main issue with bringing the Freshmen Mentoring Program back is scheduling. The activities would most likely have to take place during one T3 every two weeks and be hosted all together in a larger space instead of a classroom to take any burden off teachers and students who need the instructional time of T3. Despite these obstacles, former members of the program believe it would benefit the school to bring back the program.
“I think (bringing back FMP) would benefit things. I didn’t really hear negatives about FMP. The things we heard were almost all positive, and we’d hear from parents as well on how their kid felt better about Hastings High because of FMP,” Theoharis said.
