Mentor helps Kindergartner set goals, gain confidence
When Allyson Frick was introduced to her new lunch buddy last January, she met a shy child who was more likely to hide behind her teacher than have a conversation.
Allyson Frick has been meeting with Serenity, a Kindergartner at South Lexington Primary School, since January.
“She would hold my hand but she wouldn’t talk to me,” said Frick of Serenity, now a Kindergartner at South Lexington Primary School. “The relationship-building process took some time.”
Slowly but surely, Serenity began to open up to Frick, telling her about weekend plans and describing life at home with older sister, Destiny, a first grader at Southwest Elementary School.
Today, Frick says Serenity is much more comfortable with social interactions and more confident in her language and speech. Each week, the pair can be found on the playground swing set, walking around the track looking for ladybugs, reading in the library, or simply talking.
Frick and Serenity have also been working to set and meet weekly goals.
“When we first started she didn’t know what it meant to set goals. I used to come up with little things she could work on such as walking in a straight line and not speaking out of turn. Now she comes up with her own goals,” said Frick. “Serenity has shown improvement in her behavior since we began the weekly goal notebook. I use small incentives with her, which has shown to be very effective.”
Though her intention was to help her lunch buddy become a well-rounded person, Frick now realizes that she benefits just as much from the relationship as Serenity does.
Serenity's favorite thing to do when Allyson comes to visit is play outside on the swings.
“In the relationship-building process you are not only helping the student, you are helping yourself. Mentoring gives you a new perspective and helps you appreciate opportunities that are not a birthright for all. I would recommend becoming a mentor to anyone,” said Frick, who became interested in the Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County mentor program after hearing about the positive experience had by her stepmother and former CIS mentor, Betty Gregory.
“After listening to her story I wanted to get involved as well. Also, my mom taught Kindergarten at South Lexington, so this particular school is very near and dear to my heart,” she said. “The opportunity to work one-on-one with a student in need was the ultimate deciding factor. I wanted to give my attention and love to someone who needed a little extra guidance.”
Between a part-time job in the tasting room at Childress Vineyards and focusing on a graduate-level course at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Frick’s schedule can fill quickly. But she plans to continue making time to meet with the little girl she now calls a friend.
“Serenity helps me get in touch with my inner child. We laugh and play together in a way that I am not able to with anyone else. Participation in this program also helps me fulfill my desire to give back to the community and school system in which I was raised.”