Hollis/Brookline seniors pay it forward to freshmen

Published: Sunday, October 25, 2009

Picture this: It’s your first day of high school – freshman year, the most dreaded of them all.

You’re walking down the hallways when you come to a group of seniors assembling around the lockers and making fun of all the underclassmen.

You think to yourself, why should I have to deal with being taunted by these kids who think they own the school and end up making you feel as though you need to take a detour to avoid their bullying, thus making you late for class.

Well, at Hollis/Brookline High School, this frequently accepted image of high school is being brought to an end.

Recently, the class of 2010 went on an outing called SaLT, or Seniors as Leaders Together. The field trip involved group activities encouraging team building and leadership.

This initiative was started by a small group of teachers who call themselves “Making the senior year count.” A major component of their ideals involves promoting leadership among the seniors and creating a bonding atmosphere for the school as a whole.

To advance their vision, they’ve taken a step forward and suggested the seniors work with the freshmen, hence fulfilling one of the goals of the class of 2010.

The committee, as explained by school administrator Debbie Champigny, worked with the school’s wellness teachers to construct an approach to their new idea. It was then suggested by the teachers that the seniors and freshmen watch a movie together, “Pay It Forward,” in order to break down the barrier between upper and underclassmen.

“Pay It Forward,” directed by Mimi Leder, embodied the overall thought of giving back to the community, and coincidently, the senior class shared those goals, therefore fitting the theme of the movie flawlessly.

Champigny said this event, which took place Oct. 14 while the junior class was completing PSATs, would enable seniors to “share their leadership skills and mentor the freshmen.” As a result, several upper and underclassmen agreed that the idea had many good intentions.

“It was a good idea,” senior Seana Deffely said. “It gave the opportunity for the students to open up to one another.”

Freshman John Grant agreed, adding, “It was a good idea and helped to bridge that gap between seniors and freshmen.”

Champigny said the event was successful and that the administration has received positive feedback from the faculty. She also said they’re looking to assess the rest of the school year and hope to continue the “work in progress.”

Robert Grant is a senior at Hollis/Brookline High School.