Buddy program takes shape

St Peter’s College Year 12 students Jasmine Jakupi and Nicholas Lekakis show Year 7 students Emma Pocock, Liam Smith, Jade Thomas, Harry Spierings and Georgia Thornton around on their first day last week. 93297 Picture: Stewart Chambers

NEW Year 7 students at St Peter’s College teamed up with a buddy last week to help make their first day in secondary education as seamless as possible.
All Year 12 students were buddied up with Year 7 students on the first day of school for the two year levels.
The college’s Tutor Groups, also known as home rooms, have a combination of students from Years 7 through to Year 12 and it is within these groups that the buddy partner is formed from.
Deputy principal Anthony Banks said the program aimed to link the leaders of the school with the college’s newest students.
“The program was designed to deliver an instant feeling of connection and safety for newly arrived Year 7 students,” he said.
“The program is not only beneficial for the newly arrived Year 7 students, who can find the new Secondary School environment overwhelming compared to their primary school environment.
“It also greatly benefits the Year 12 students who have been groomed to be college leaders in their previous years at the college and they now are entrusted with the very important role, not just for this day but for the full year, in being the go-to contact for the Year 7 students when ever they have an issue, problem or just a question.
“Student leadership, service and responsibility are core values that we aim to instill in all of our students throughout their time at St Peter’s College.”