Heights Students Become Peer Mentors

Dozens of Hasbrouck Heights elementary school students have welcomed the chance to become peer mentors to other children with special needs.

Twenty-five students at both Euclid and Lincoln School are taking part in the Pathways mentoring program training where they are getting an education in learning to understand differences of others and how to communicate with those with special needs.

Last month students grades 3 to 5 at both schools took part in the empowering "Include Me" assembly which inspired these youngsters to become peer mentors.

The schools received an overwhelming response of interest in the program said Nicole Fried, school counselor. She says the district plans to bring the program back again next year so more students will have the chance to become mentors.

On Tuesday the students worked with Melinda Jennis of Pathways for Exceptional Children who took them through a fun interactive two-hour session where they learned how to understand, help and communicate other kids like them who may have some differences.

"You guys are the best thing to them since chocolate ice cream," Jennis told the students explaining to them that these kids want to be around other kids.

Each student got a chance to volunteer in the interactive sessions where Jennis showed them how to communicate with children with autism, someone who is wheel-chair bound or those who are hearing or sight impaired.

Chris Peters, president of the parent group Collaborative Parents Committee, a supporter of the program said she was impressed watching the training as Jennis was really teaching the children how to deal with sensory issues.

Jennis walked the students through many things they may encounter while interacting and how to find the right way to communicate.

"Remember to ask them what they want or what they would like to do," Jennis advised.

The session also taught them how to handle behavioral issues and how to discourage it.

As she showed the students in the "Include Me" assembly, there really isn't anything anyone with a disability can't do and she demonstrated that by showing the kids how to help someone with limitations accomplsh what they want.

The students learned how to use their hearing, not their sight, to toss a ball back and forth demonstrating that sports like baseball can be played by those who are sight impaired.

"It's a positive program and we've had such a good response," said Fried.