Rachel Forrester

Orientation for SHARP & meeting our IP team

Serving with BridgeWays Links-Up Mentoring Program was the highlight of my semester. Building a relationship with the kids was such a special and encouraging experience. I definitely looked forward to seeing them each week. It was challenging to alter the curriculum to suit the needs of the students. We often had to navigate writing and reading gaps and find creative ways to teach the students skills through different avenues like art or games. My key takeaway is that the little details matter a lot to the kids. Everything from complimenting their art to bringing candy on the last day means the world to them.

Alexis and I started at Greenwood Elementary School. It has been a really good experience. The students are engaged and excited to come to our sessions. I have been surprised by how smart and insightful these students are at such a young age. Because the ages range from 5 years old to 8 years old and our class size is larger than we thought, we sometimes tailor the lessons to be more approachable for the younger ages and big groups. I really look forward to spending time with these kids each week, and I feel very supported by the school counselor , Mrs.Austin. She has great insight for helping us manage the students.