Tuesday, October 17th marks the official start of the new program, Sr. Atlas, under the direction of supervisor Alivia Durham.
In an interview with Ms. Durham, she explained how the program will work. Sr. Atlas is an after-school program made to be a place of refuge for students to work on homework, projects, interactions, etc…. With this being said it is not tutoring, it is only meant to be a place for students to use the help of the school internet, friends, and supervisors to work on completing homework and all other missing classwork.
The session kicks off with meals being provided by the YMCA, followed by announcements and a check-in time where students can engage in conversations with one another. Directly after, students will participate in academic support time, which is similar to a peer support system where kids in the same or similar classes help each other and build those connections.
After this academic support time, students will transition to an “enrichment period” which is where Ms. Durham will be partnering with people in the community to lead fun classes; such as yoga, cooking classes, dance classes, etc… She reveals that, “I haven’t set up a lot of them yet because I want it to be geared towards what my students like.” Because of Ms. Durham’s commitment to her students, the program provides a more personalized experience in hopes of creating a fun environment.
A common misconception about this program is that it is just for seniors which could not be further from the truth. Despite the name, it is available to all students and highly recommended to freshmen who want to establish connections with their peers.
Students can find the registration forms in Ms. Durham’s office located beside Mrs. Mochel’s in the Media Center, or pick them up at the front office, counseling office, and Mr. Sneed’s classroom. If you have any questions about the program do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Durham in her office.
Ms. Durham concludes by proclaiming, “I hope we can firm relationships outside of the scary high school atmosphere… and give more confidence to the high school [students].”
