WARRIOR WALK MENTORING PROGRAM
“Every middle school child should have someone in their corner”, says Sean Wieting, 6th grade teacher at Lincoln Lutheran Middle and High School. Middle school students typically experience a lot of change...a new school, different routines, shifts in friendships and finding where they fit in a new environment with new people.
“We need to make sure every middle school student has a Warrior to walk with", said Wieting. He had seen the positive impact of mentoring as a former TEAMATES mentor himself and felt inspired to create a similar program at Lincoln Lutheran. That program, aptly named Warrior Walk, ensures every middle school student in 6th through 8th grade receives group or individual mentoring every week.
‘22-’23 was the first year that EVERY 7th and 8th grade student at Lincoln Lutheran was matched with an individual mentor - 107 middle schoolers to be exact. Now in its second year, the program has 120 pairs that met for the first time on August 23rd in a match ceremony.
“It’s a really exciting day for everyone involved,” says Brooklyn Schulte. “Mentees line up across the gym floor, holding a sign with their name on it. Their mentors line up behind them and on the count of 3, the mentees turn around and meet their mentor.”
Mentors receive training in communication, trust, emotional intelligence and relationship building. They meet with their mentees every week during a teacher supervised period of the school day. Some play board games, do art projects, shoot hoops or just hang out and talk.
“To me, this program represents what it really means to be a Warrior”, says Wieting. “It’s more than a mascot. Being a Warrior means serving others, and that’s what is happening here. Serving others through listening and just being there.”