Students helping students

Often, teens find it hard to talk to adults about problems they face, simply because the adults can't relate. At Wasilla High School, they have some place to turn.

Through the advanced human relations course at WHS, students are being trained as peer mediators. They give other students a place where they can come and talk about any problem they are having, and the peer mediators can help them find more peaceful resolutions in their lives.

"I had a friend who needed some help, and that's why I got involved in the class at first," student Lacy Jensen said. "I took it for her. She ended up leaving the class, but I stayed with it, to help myself and to help other students."

Having another student to talk to can make a huge difference for a student in need.

"It is peers teaching peers, and that works well," senior Kelly Costello said. "It makes the other student feel more comfortable. You can see them loosen up and start talking about what is bothering them."

The class is unlike any other. At the start of the period, the students in Linda Ransom's class arrange their chairs in a circle, and start talking about their problems, and the problems faced by other students. The talks can be about anything, from suicide to relationship issues.

"Everybody in this class can relate to one problem or another, because we've been through it. If you can relate to the problem, you can help somebody through it," student Kelly Schramm said.

With the responsibility of helping other teens through problems comes a certain level of trust, which nobody is about to break.

"We all know that what is said in this room stays in this room. Respect, confidentiality and maturity are big things. You don't want to be the person to break the trust of the group," said Erica Matthews. "We all take this pretty seriously."

Jensen agrees with her peer's assessment of the trust issue.

"On the first day of class, we got all this trust that we didn't show we deserved," Jensen said. "I would feel bad if I violated that. Everybody spills everything in this class, and it gets very intense. You have to have trust to say some of the things that get said."

Because they share everything about their lives with one another, the students feel like family -- and a very diverse family at that. One look around the room, and the casual visitor will a cross-section of the student population -- kids from every social group within the school community.

"We don't see each other as jocks, preps or any other stereotyped group. We see each other as individuals," said Shilo Young. "We are all the same kind of people, after you get to know each other."

The group gives a number of presentations to schools, and stereotyping was the topic of one that sticks out in the minds of some of the students.

The peer mediators each dressed to represent one of the social groups commonly associated with schools. They then went to a middle school, and asked the students what they thought of them.

"Because of the way we dressed, they thought some of us were 'slutty,' and that we were into drugs," said Kelly Costello. "Then I told them that some of us have 4.0 G.P.A.'s, and that the only reason they thought those things was because of the way we dressed. It was amazing."

Stereotyping is one of many issues in which the students have received training. The advanced peer mediators have gone through programs about mediation, depression and suicide prevention, anger and stress management, postponing sexual involvement, reducing the risk of AIDS, peer pressure, peer counseling and group processes.

"Nobody can hide behind a desk here," Ransom said. "This is a group process, and everybody is part of the group. That is what makes this process so dynamic."

The program has grown since its inception in January 2000. Ten students took the first class then, and now more than 30 students are, or will be in, the advanced human relations class. Students must first take a basic human relations course, and then be recommended for the advanced class, where they get the peer mediator training.

"We now have a peer mediation room where students can come talk about their problems," Ransom said. "It has had a big impact on our school. I was talking to Mr. P [WHS principal Dwight Probasco] and he told me there have been 14 students who have used the program so far this year, and that is 14 students who may have had to be suspended due to fighting if they didn't come and talk."

Students don't necessarily have to have a problem to interact with the peer mediators.

"A lot of underclassmen look up to the juniors and seniors, and we can make them feel more into Wasilla High School by talking to them and getting to know them," Mackenzie Moses said.

"This isn't a group for one type of person, or one type of group," said Taylor Overson. "We have everybody."

As much as the group has had a positive impact on the lives of other students, and on the WHS community, it has also helped each one of its students.

"I can honestly say I wouldn't be the person I am today without this class," said Lori Borgford. "This has helped shape me. My sophomore year, we passed around a paper and people wrote on it what they thought about you, and what positive things they see in you. I still have that piece of paper pinned on my wall. It's so powerful."

Young agrees. She said that in helping others, she has also affected her life.

"I didn't know about the class at first, but after you go through it, you learn a lot about life," Young said. "And at the end of the day, you are all the better for it."

Other students who are peer helpers include Ryan Olivera, Austin Kolbeck, Heather McGuffey, Duane Plano, Shannell Van Buskirk, Angel Gonzalez, Kadie Towns, Melinda Watkins, Miranda Lazar, Sean Tatum, Kim Huerta, Heidi Lucus, Lundon Boyd, Adena Shanigan, Mary Moore, Alycia Howell, Greg Plano, Jessica Kofoid, Brandy Potter and Lauren Abbott.