Bossier students helping military kids adjust to new schools | Schools

Story courtesy Bossier Parish School Board website

Moving to a new place, not knowing a soul, can be scary for anyone. It is especially unnerving for children when they must transition into a new school, and even more so when it is in the middle of the year.

That is where Student 2 Student, or S2S for short, comes in. It is a Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) initiative that trains students from schools with highly mobile students, such as military families, to organize and lead a peer group dedicated to helping new students with their transition.

Recently, Bossier Schools' Military Student Transitional Consultant Georgette Price accompanied two students and a counselor from Bossier High School to San Antonio, Texas, for S2S training. Sophomore Victoria Slaughter, who comes from a military family, went, along with Junior Marcus Miramontz, who has a civilian background.School Counselor JoAnna Copes also attended.

Bossier High has a highly mobile student population because of its proximity to Barksdale Air Force Base.

Price explained the goal of forming an S2S group, first at Bossier High, then at other schools throughout Bossier Parish.

"Ultimately a student will take (new students) them to their classes, find out their interests and help them meet people and find a peer group and make sure they have someone to sit with at lunch, so they aren't isolated," Price said.

Once the group gets on its feet, Price added it will be completely student-led and also serve as an anti-bullying program.

Slaughter and Miramontz will soon be recruiting other Bossier High students to join them in their efforts. A table will be set up January 14 during lunch at Bossier High to explain more about S2S, their role as peer leaders and how they can help smooth the transition for incoming students.

Future plans for Bossier High's S2S program to host a New Student Day, in addition to the open house the school already has at the beginning of the school year.