Tina Vasquez

“Multilingual Mentoring is a student-run, staff-supported peer advisory and mentorship program. It has been student-led throughout its 4 years! This program was initiated and named by a small group of seniors who reflected upon their experiences as newly arrived ELs (English Learners) and wanted to create a support program so that new students like them would have an easier transition than they did. Volunteer students at Advanced level English receive leadership and mental health first aid training and join the MM team. Newcomer students are matched with a mentor after arriving at our school. Mentors offer support in the mentees' home languages to help them adapt and thrive at school. As our school responded to the realities of COVID, with 100% virtual learning, followed by hybrid learning, Multilingual Mentoring has also shifted its approach. Mentors have expanded their weekly check-ins with mentees via texts and phone calls. Each of the various times there was a program or schedule change, or important form to fill out, mentors reinforced these messages in home languages and made sure the Newcomer mentees were included. While we look forward to full-time in-person learning, and the personal interaction that comes with it, we intend to build on learning from this year and harnessing varied ways of communicating and strengthening connections.”