Counseling Corner: Willowbrook Guidance Department offers New Beginnings program to help freshmen

The Willowbrook Guidance Department facilitates a student-organized peer mentor program called New Beginnings.

The program trains upperclassmen to work with freshmen on academics, teambuilding, social skills, school spirit and pride, etc. This is accomplished through daily tutoring during Warrior Time and Friday activities, which are meant to be engaging and interactive. Activities include:

• New Beginnings Olympics: A competition among the freshmen Warrior Times
• Videos for Homecoming Week
• Interactive teambuilding activities
• Icebreakers: Getting to know your mentor and other freshmen
• Clubs/Athletics Fair: Leaders share information about the extracurricular opportunities at Willowbrook and encourage freshmen to get involved

There also are interactive presentations/activities given by the counselors, which include:

• “Family Feud”-style game: Getting to know the Guidance Department
• Understanding Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) resources and how to utilize them (movie and PowerPoint)
• “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”-style game: Grades, final exams, GPA, etc.
• Registration/course-selection presentation

The goals are to make sure every freshman knows he or she belongs with the Willowbrook family and to encourage freshmen to pay it forward when they become upperclassmen.