High School PALs Inspire Young Learners at Pine Street Elementary
On March 11, 2025, forty dedicated Wayland High School Peer Assistant Leader/Listener (PALs) visited Pine Street Elementary to mentor and support 4th and 5th-grade students through engaging and educational sessions.
The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Team at Pine Street Elementary invited the PALs to create a presentation to help support Wayland Union School’s district-wide programming. Throughout the morning, the PALs facilitated their PALs @ Pine program: Group discussions, interactive activities, and skill-building exercises aimed at promoting emotional well-being and positive interactions. This initiative underscores the school district’s commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students.
Jennifer Boeve, Media Teacher/Literacy Coach at Pine Street Elementary and part of the PBIS Team, praised the event, stating, "Being involved with two separate groups and four different presentations, I felt all students modeled positive behavior choices and focused on listening to their small groups. Students were engaged, and the facilitators (PALs) did an excellent job guiding the discussion. They and you should be proud of their effort, patience, and poise.”
The PALs @ Pine program provided students with effective tools to manage emotions respectfully and develop positive life-long strategies. Through 50-minute sessions, the PALs worked collaboratively with small groups, delivering instructional lessons on emotions and coping strategies. PALs senior, Anna Edwards, commented after the PALs @ Pine event, “These PALs sessions really resonated with the kids and they were super involved and interested. I think we really did a good job at encouraging respectful, responsible, and safe behaviors.”
"This event exemplifies the power of peer mentorship and the impact it can have on fostering emotional intelligence and positive behaviors among students," said Andrea Brown, PALs Advisor. "By working directly with younger peers, our high school PALs are not only strengthening their leadership skills but also making a meaningful difference in the lives of Pine Street Elementary students." Senior PAL, Addie Huston added, “The PALs program is not just a club to me, it is a family.”
PALs is taught in collaboration with Nikki Barth, a member of the Prevention Team at OnPoint. This partnership enhances the Wayland PALs program by providing additional resources, training, and support to ensure meaningful peer interactions and positive student development. OnPoint’s “Caring for Allegan County” message aligns perfectly with our PALs program.
Author: Andrea Brown, Wayland Union High School Teacher and PALs Advisor
