Peer Assistance & Leadership (PALS) program helps teach high school students how to mentor younger kids. PALS was developed for students from preschool age through high school to mentor and help them throughout their educational journey. Melissa has used this program for several years, and since then, they have helped a lot of younger children with daily life problems and helped them where needed.

The PALS program carefully selects juniors and seniors who go above and beyond at school and in extracurricular activities. When chosen for the program, they are trained on guiding the future generations of their community to success.

“The PALS program is one of the best things to ever happen to me,” PALS teacher Coach Ryan Hamilton said. “It gives me an opportunity to mentor and lead my students, but then watch them turn around and take what they learned and mentor kids in the district. It’s really special to me to watch them do what they do, and it’s something where it gives me a lot of freedom to let my students be leaders and not be strict on them because I let them figure it out on their own to grow and improve themselves.”

Senior Brynn Zufelt is a PAL mentor who enjoys her experiences in the program.

“PALS is a really good class for everyone because it is such a good opportunity to learn leadership and people skills,” Zufelt said. “I love going to the elementary schools and seeing a big smile on my palies’ faces knowing I make a difference in their lives. We get to help them, and they help us learn compassion and patience and acceptance of everyone.”

Watch a video on Twitter of some of the high school Lady Cards basketball players motivating elementary students with some friendly competition.