Juniors and Seniors, if you have good leadership qualities, want to interact with younger students of the district, and can display good leadership qualities, then the Peer Assistance and  Leadership program (PALS) is for you. PALS hopefuls can apply for the year 2018-2019, March 1st, 2018 in Ms. Tamara Winsmann’s room or in the counseling office.

Candidates who apply hope to influence the younger generation of Cypress Fairbanks ISD by demonstrating leadership, displaying a positive attitude in school, and staying drug and alcohol-free.

“Being a PAL means being able to teach the future generation on how to be a better person, and how to be successful..,” junior and PAL Applicant, Sidney Turner said.

The PALS program is a class that allows juniors and seniors to be young mentors to younger children in elementary school to middle school. PALS are a companion to the younger children and are there to help the student do better in school or even at home through positive influence.

“I feel like everything will be based on the children, and then our job as a PAL will be to be responsible for them and help them gain the confidence and then help them gain more knowledge, make them have communication skills,” said junior and PAL applicant, Jasmine Ordonez.

When mentoring someone younger than you, the students must display good qualities and give valuable advice. The advice that you give can help the young mind or it can help alter the way one thinks about situations and it could make one react negatively. According to current PAL’s your goal would be to inspire your PALEE to be better and grow as they move up in school.

“The advice I would give would be, there will always be obstacles along the way and there will always be people there to discourage you, but you should know that you will always be worth it, and to never give in,” Ordonez said.

Turner also felt that encouraging the PALEE is key to building up a successful student.

“The struggle doesn’t last forever. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel,”  Turner said.

While in PALS, not only is the younger mind influenced by their companion, the mentor can also be influenced by the mentee.

“ I think PALS will help me grow, you can learn patience, it could change me in a positive way,” said Turner.

PALS can spark people’s interest, simply because the class helps little children reach their goals, could benefit their future, and support change within their own self.

“I decided to be a PAL because I find it interesting, and I wanted to get out of my shell. I think it will help me communicate better,” said junior Gloria Mireles.  

Ordonez thinks that PALS will benefit her and her future occupation that deals with children on a daily basis.

 “I want to expand my experience with children to pursue my career as a pediatrician, I feel like I would have a greater understanding, like of how to treat children, and also to expand my knowledge on them, and gain more confidence and communication with them,” Ordonez said.

Hopefuls have thought of ways to teach their PALEE good work ethics and leadership, while also encouraging them to step outside of the box, but also learning how to be accountable for your actions show that you have integrity, which also means demonstrating responsibility, and building character.

“You always need to be responsible, if you want to do something you do it and it doesn’t matter how hard it is,” Miriles said.

Mireles also mentions that determination will be something she will help her PALEE with in the future.

“I would also teach my PALEE to be determined to work hard in everything,” Mireles said. To survive school responsibility, determination, and good work ethic shows that you will be successful and that’s what PALS will guide their PALEE towards.

The Peer Assistance and Leadership program is a program that helps younger minds develop into something great, and influence them in the most positive way possible. Helping a future generation is helping the future to be brighter.

“A lot of kids have the potential but don’t wanna do the work or put in the effort to get the results, so for me being a PAL means to teach younger kids and a new generation how to be better people,” Turner said.