Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

Pinewood Preparatory student Noah Holland gets a lift from senior Bruce Haynes, his Jazzy Junior/Super Senior mentor.

Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

From left: Tyler Fridh, Aubrey Merryman and Luisa Asmus share a smile during a mentoring activity that pairs Pinewood Preparatory School’s oldest students with some of its youngest.

Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

Pinewood Preparatory K-4 student Abby Litz and 11th-grader Bridget Karg recently designed picture frames for one another during a mentoring activity.

Pinewood Preparatory School kindergartners are giving new meaning to the old adage, “It’s never too early to think about one’s future.”

They won’t graduate high school until sometime around the year 2020, but some Pinewood Preparatory School kindergartners are not only sure they want to attend college, they already have a frontrunner.

Once a month, Pinewood’s juniors and seniors meet with the school’s kindergartners for the Jazzy Junior/Super Senior mentoring program. Throughout the year, the 65 or so pairs of students take part in a variety of activities and take an interest in each other’s lives.

“The younger students get very interested in the colleges the older students are attending and they go around telling their friends about it,” said Marilyn Davis, Head of the Lower School. “It’s a source of pride for them.”

Junior Bridget Karg says she and kindergartner Abby Litz chat about cheerleading among other topics.

“She has a lot of dolls and she definitely enjoys talking about them,” Karg said with a smile. “It’s a really great program because the kids are always so happy and they’re a lot of fun to be around.”

Although the pairs of students meet once a month on a designated day, it’s not uncommon for the older students to drop by their young friend’s classroom either during their lunch break or if they have a spare moment between classes, said Brendan Diffley, director of guidance.

“It’s a feel good experience for everyone,” Diffley said. “For the juniors and seniors, I think it brings back a lot of memories.”

This may be no more obvious than when the high school students take to the playground with the kindergartners to go down slides and ride on the swing set.

Even after the juniors and seniors graduate, they often remain pen pals, says Hayden Smith, a high school student who more than a decade ago was kindergartner looking up to his mentor.

“I remember that even after (my mentor) left for college, when she came in to town to visit, she would come by and spend time with me,” Smith said. “Now it’s my turn to serve as the role model.”

The program has existed for about 15 years and on Sept. 18, the students got together for the first time this school year to make picture frames for one another. Throughout the year, they will collaborate on projects for the betterment of the community. For Christmas, students will bring in presents for a foster child and for Valentine’s Day, they will make cards to be delivered to a Presbyterian Home.

Davis says the program is successful because of the mutual respect and fondness that the students have for one another.

“They all enjoy it,” Davis said. “Sometimes I can’t tell whether the older or younger kids are having more fun.”

For more photos, visit www.journalscene.com.

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com

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