By Rhys Baker

The administration at Garfield School approached the local Clay Center Community High School Youth Leaders in Kansas (YLinK) chapter about expanding their reach and creating a club at Garfield School. 2024 CCCHS YLinK Vice-President Izzy Blackwood said members discussed the idea but didn’t think it was a good fit.

“Because YLinK covers such mature topics, its really hard to have younger chapters be very involved in it, so YLinK President Raegann McDonald and I discussed what that would look like, and if we had any ideas, and we decided instead of starting a YLinK chapter of Garfielders, that we get involved with the Garfield as high school YLinK members.”

Using their knowledge of the YLinK, program members brainstormed ways to help, deciding that mentoring students would be the best way to help. Then, they started a TEEN Mates program as a nod to the overall district Teammates program. Blackwood says she wished this kind of program had existed when she was in 4th grade. She explains the TEEN mates process. “We start by just eating lunch with the kids and going to recess until they are comfortable with us. Then we do a panel of YLinK members at our lunch where we have prepared questions that typically Mrs. Cott asks. We answer the questions in front of all the kids, and then after that kids would have the option to sign up for small groups and talk about topics like friendship or stress or anxiety.”

The small groups have a ratio of one CCCHS teenage student to five Garfield Students. Blackwood says the teenage YLinK members want the Garfield students to know they have had similar experiences and that it is possible to survive 4th and 5th-grade drama.