The Friendship Circle
Mini Grant Provided by WHAF
Conducted by:
Jami Heffley and Aaron Smith
The Friendship Circle
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A student-to-student peer-mentoring
program designed to teach leadership
and social skills to both male and
female students at Edgewood and
Dickson Elementary Schools.
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Open to all students
Open to all grade levels
The Mentors
Boys and Girls in 5th & 6th grade
 Nominated by teachers based on:
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Leadership skills
Positive school behaviors
Academic Success
Participated in a weekly mentor meeting
to build leadership skills
Group Members
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Parents and/or school staff recommended
students in need extra support based on the
the following risk factors:
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social skills, discipline, attendance, and behavior
data
These students participated in at least 12
weeks of group
The Budget
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Money was used to purchase materials to use
in the small groups.
Games
Books
Puzzles
Weekly Groups
Under the supervision of either Mr.
Smith or Mrs. Heffley, a student mentor
worked with a small group of students
 The goal was for the younger students
to imitate appropriate behavior learned
from the mentors
 The mentor created a relationship with
the members in their group
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Teamwork and Cooperation
Stories and Discussions
Leadership
Social Skills
Learning a proper handshake
The Goal
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To decrease negative behaviors and increase positive
behaviors for all students involved.
Create a lasting relationship between group members
and Mentors
Students will learn leadership and social skills
necessary to be successful at school and as
responsible citizens in the community.
All students will learn valuable communication skills
along with the importance of commitment and
empathy.
Did you like being a mentor?
“I liked being a mentor very much. I
think I was picked because I have selfcontrol. Also, because I am very
polite.” –6th grade boy
 “Yes. I was picked because I have selfcontrol. I learned how to act in a bad
situation.”
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What did you learn as a
mentor?
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“ I learned that you must always
behave and be good or you might not
set a good example for the little ones. I
think group was successful because it
had an impact on the kids in my group.”
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“I learned that it’s fun to make a big
difference in young children’s lives.”
What did you learn in group?
“Controlling my temper”
 “social skills”-4th grade
 “being nice” – 1st grade
 “no bad words or mean”-Kindergarten
 “to be nice to people.”-4th grade
 “how to control your feelings”
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What was your favorite
activity in group?
Puzzles
 Guess the emotion game
 “When we learned about manners”
 The bubble activity
 Passing the thumb ball
 “Helping each other with personal
problems”
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Do you think group was
successful?
“Yes, I think group was successful
because our members learned from
their mistakes and really listened to
what is a better way to do things.”
 “Yes, I do think group was successful
because I think it’s helped a lot of kids
improve their behavior.”
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Student Participation
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Edgewood
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15 Mentors
41 Group Members
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Dickson
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10 Mentors
32 Group Members
Total Students Involved in the
program: 98 Students