The International Baccalaureate Programme is built off of projects that encourage students to analyze global issues and consider how they can help eliminate problems in their community. At the high school level, IB students must complete their Middle Years Programme (MYP) Project, one of many projects depending on the respective pathway chosen. At the elementary level, fifth graders complete the Primary Years Programme Exhibition. North Atlanta’s feeder elementary schools have recognized the rigor of completing the exhibition project and have enlisted North Atlanta IB juniors to mentor the students as they progress.
The IB mentors were first employed at the beginning of February 2024 at Warren T. Jackson Elementary. Each Wednesday morning at 7:45 a.m., students would report to their classes and assigned groups to work through their Exhibition projects. The mentors would work through the students’ ideas to help them reach a definitive conclusion, learn how to find the best sources to reference and format their projects using technology. Through the collaborative work, the groups began to form a bond with their mentor that enriched their projects and their weeks. Gabby Monplaisir was given the opportunity and found it to be a very fulfilling experience for both her and her group. “I always tried to lead them in the right direction but not give them an answer,” she said. “A leader does not just give you the answer, they allow you to feel the terrain out by yourself. ”
The mentors then took their new knowledge of what worked best to apply to a new set of kids. Despite their period of growth between both schools, mentoring young children can be a challenge. Their young brains can get easily distracted and are not as hard-wired to sit down at work like high schoolers are today. For some, it was a challenge to keep the students focused on the work they were accomplishing. With computers, students can so easily move from tab to tab and lose focus on the task at hand. Ana Beatriz-Pinho was one of the few chosen to mentor at Jackson Elementary and came across this issue as she worked with her group. “Sometimes I try to help and they just don’t listen,” she said. “They really gave me an appreciation for elementary school teachers and the lack of attention they sometimes have to put up with.”
The first half of the mentorship program eventually came to a close with heartfelt goodbyes and high hopes for the quality and completion of each project. While sad to see their first group go, the mentors now set their sails and head forth to Morris Brandon Elementary to work with another group of growing minds.
