Walking in the P.A.R. on a Monday at lunch, visitors will see tables scattered around the room, hear loud noises coming from students and the advisors, helping establish friendships and maintain organized binders.  Papers flying across the room, the entire meeting room is abuzz with a helpful energy.  MacMentor has begun.  

Since November 7, Counselor Mrs. Laurie Tristan and ASB Advisor Mrs. Denise Vicario have monitoring MacMentor.  Tristan and Vicario started this program for one specific purpose: to help sixth graders adjust to MacArthur and to promote community service from student leadership.

“MacMentor is a way for sixth graders to feel more connected to MacArthur,” said school counselor Ms.Laurie Tristan. MacMentor have been meeting once a week, on Mondays at lunch in the PA.R.

During the session with the “cubs “, that is what the sixth graders are referred to as, the mentors help organize the binders, help the cubs with their homework, go through their agendas to make sure they are writing their homework down each day, and every week the mentors set up a goal for the cubs to accomplish.

The school has been using this program for two years.  There are 40 mentors and 40 cubs.  The cubs got selected by Tristan and Silva because many sixth graders need a little more help adjusting to the school and its rules.  The mentors are picked from ASB, Associated Student Body, and CJSF, California Junior Scholastic Federation, which is an academic service club on campus.

“I am a part of MacMentor because I want a chance to help the sixth graders with all of their subjects and to help keep their grades up,” said eighth-grader Victoria McCarthy. The program will last for six weeks.

For many students, binder organization can be challenging.  Keeping papers organized, and using the agenda to record the daily homework, is a hallmark of MacArthur’s fundamental program.  Also, the extra help allows sixth graders to bond to a friendly face, their mentor, on campus.

“I think MacMentor is super important and necessary, because seventh and eighth grade mentors are starting to help and train the sixth graders so they can do better at MacArthur,” said eighth grader Katherine Ortega.