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New WEB program at Polson Middle School inspiring

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Editor,

Have you heard the loud cry for help from our young people? Growing up is a tremendous challenge these days. Think of the myriad of home-life distractions, physical maturing, and the instant communication devices constantly pouring out stuff. And “change” and all the adjustments to change.

What is going on in the minds of our young people these days? What can we do to help build healthy minds? Here is one powerful program to know and learn about. A recent wonderful Valley Journal article leaped out at me, entitled: “Polson Middle School program builds culture of belonging.” The program is “Where Everyone Belongs” (WEB).

“The first Friday of this school year a class of eighth graders was meeting: each student in the room was selected as a leader for the ‘Where Everyone Belongs (WEB)’ program. The goal is for the older students to help the younger students to feel included in the middle school environment.” What a change. Many don’t handle it well. Those who don’t need identification and help. WEB does just that.

“WEB was created by the Boomerang Project, an organization that designs programs to support students as they transition into high school and middle school. WEB is implemented in schools around the country,” said Tim Finkbeiner, Polson Middle School principal, as assistant principal Jesse Yarbrough reported, “Saw the need for having a systematic sort of mentoring program in our school to help sixth graders belong in our school.”

Teachers Nicole Camel and Tessa Hupka were chosen to facilitate the WEB program. In April they took training in California. Camel said, “It was the best training I have ever been to in my career.” And our middle school WEB program has 30 eighth grade mentors. Doesn’t all this speak volumes to individual and collective empowerment factors within and among teachers, eighth graders, and sixth graders?

Before submitting this letter, I called the school and talked with Nicole Camel. Her heartfelt comments on WEB, the mentors and mentees, and her ongoing training and facilitating experiences actually brought tears to my eyes.

Bob McClellan
Polson

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