Homeroom Mentors: The Unsung Heroes of Niles West

With 8th-grade registration complete, homeroom mentors are keeping busy planning games and activities to welcome the incoming freshmen.

The freshman homeroom mentor team consists of 106 members and is run by three sponsors, counselors Ann Alegnani and Carla Green as well as ELL teacher Jennifer Myer. They work with freshmen during their homeroom periods the entire year to ensure a smooth transition from middle school. They are an integral part of the school community as they bring a lot of positivity and are a built-in support system to help freshmen in many different aspects.

Homeroom mentors are one of the first people freshmen meet when being welcomed into their new environment, and they’re able to continue building a relationship with them throughout the entire year. Mentors are very involved in the building and stay up to date with important events so that they can serve as guides for the freshmen. They always remind freshmen of important dates such as sophomore class registration and provide a lot of other information that they may not be aware of.

“The homeroom mentors are an important resource for incoming freshmen and are some of the first people to welcome these students to Niles West.  The mentors’ enthusiastic participation in freshman orientation creates a positive first impression and generates excitement about joining the Wolfpack family. Throughout the school year, the homeroom mentors work to build relationships with the freshmen and help to connect them to activities, resources and other students at Niles West,” Myer said.

“I really enjoy being a freshmen mentor because I’m able to help the incoming freshman adjust and guide them into their high school experience. It’s a great way to build new friendships and engage with others,” junior Hafsa Habeebuddin said.

In order to be considered for the program, interested students have to first submit an application and afterward, they’re contacted by one of the sponsors to schedule an interview. Once homeroom mentors get accepted into the program, they go through multiple training days run by both sponsors and guest visitors. They go on a mini-field trip during the school year and have an entire day of training during the summer that prepares them for upcoming freshman orientation. During training, they meet up with their assigned groups or split up into different committees, such as the Wolves Welcoming Committee and the Social Media Committee, in order to go over expectations and pitch ideas for how they want to organize the memorable day. The orientation they host shortly before the school year starts consists of icebreakers and team-building activities to help the freshmen get more familiar with the building. After general introductions, the homeroom mentors split up into smaller groups to play games with the freshmen and give them an entire tour of the building.

“As freshman mentors, our jobs are to help the freshman get to know each other and get involved at Niles West. Mentors go to their freshman homerooms every day and give any announcements for the week, or encourage students to participate in activities,” sophomore Kaylee Cao said.

All of the mentors usually gather up at the start of the week to plan out potential games or topics that they need to discuss with the freshmen. Over the course of the year, the mentors build close relationships with the homeroom class that’s specifically assigned to them for the entire year. They guide them with a lot of information about classes and extracurriculars and share many of their personal experiences about club participation and courses that they’ve already taken in the past.

“Homeroom mentoring is a good way to connect to the freshmen so they can have a good four years in high school. It’s a good way to help the freshmen with any needs and build friendships in just ten minutes every day,” junior Effie Dounis said.

The program also provides a lot of variety for the freshmen since there are at least two mentors assigned to each room, which ensures that they can receive a lot of different perspectives about things at school and get all of their questions answered. They demonstrate a lot of enthusiasm toward pep assemblies and spirit week, which encourages freshmen to join them in dressing up.  In the weeks leading up to Homecoming and winter break, they promote the best-dressed mentors across their social media page.

“Being a homeroom mentor has allowed me to connect with my community and give back. I have learned so much about myself while teaching the freshmen and I love watching them grow in both academics and life,” junior Lorena Saba said.

Homeroom mentors create a very welcoming atmosphere by providing advice and guidance to the freshman. They serve as role models for their peers, demonstrating the importance of hard work and determination. In addition, their constant support helps freshmen find opportunities and establish a strong foundation for their four years of high school.