Peer Mentor Program
- Accepting new applicants on a rolling basis.
- Suggested age-range: High School 9th-12th grade.
About the Program
We are launching a new volunteer program geared toward High School students! This program will offer opportunities for participants to earn volunteer hours, to learn valuable skills and experience while assisting instructors in our youth art classes, and to be able to attend educational opportunities such as panel talks and seminars about careers in the arts, and students’ other learning goals and interests. This program will also aim to develop a youth arts community where students can develop leadership skills, have meaningful discussions with each other, learn from one another, and have regular socializing opportunities.
This program has the following goals:
- Provide an opportunity for students to earn volunteer hours; fulfilling educational requirements, boosting resume items, and instilling a sense of community service and involvement
- Provide hands-on teaching assistance experiences to participants; benefiting their development of leaderships skills, self-confidence, collaboration and communication skills
- Provide opportunities for debriefs and discussions; nurturing curiosity, critical thinking, research, problem-solving, empathy, teamwork, and group collaboration and communication
- Provide participants with the opportunity to learn how to write a lesson plan and course proposal
- Enable participants to identify and convey transferrable skills; allowing participants to interpret their experiences into skills for resumes, applications, and interviews
- Culminate their learning into a the completion of a co-teaching project; applying their skills toward co-teaching their own class to build confidence, and presentation skills. (A member of staff will be present to audit the project/class and provide assistance and encouragement throughout).
For more information or to become a Peer Mentor, please contact Director of Education & Programs, Ashton Setvin, at ashton@sdc-arts.org
2024 Program Dates:
Friday Arts Academy Volunteer Dates:
Available Anytime 9:00am-2:30pm
- September 6, 13, 20, 27
- October 4, 11, 18, 25
- November 1, 8, 15
- November 22 @ 5:30-7:30pm (Friday Arts Academy Art Show)
Meeting Dates:
2:30pm-3:30pm
- September 13 & 27
- October 11 & 25
- November 8 &22
- December 13 (No second meeting due to holiday week)
2025 Program Dates:
Meeting Dates:
2:30pm-3:30pm
- January 10 & 24
- February 14 & 28
- March 14 & 28
- April 11 & 25
- May 9 & 23
- June 13 & 27
- July 11 & 25
- August 8 & 22
- September 12 & 26
- October 10 & 24
- November 14 & 28
- December 12 (no second meeting due to holiday week)
Attendance
Please Note: Although highly encouraged, participants do not have to attend all of the dates of this program. Attendance-wise, we consider this program to be operated as a "club" of sorts and participation is entirely voluntary. We understand that due to a variety of other scheduling reasons and obligations, some participants may choose to participate seasonally, or as frequently as they can/desire to. And that is perfectly okay to do! Letting us know of planned absences or desired attendance schedules is always helpful for our activity planning purposes.
Details & Schedule
We are happy to work with each Peer Mentor to find opportunities that fit both their interests and personal schedule. We are also open to changing group meeting times, discussion times, and workshop/special event times based on feedback from the Peer Mentors in the program. This program is designed to grow and change based on the needs and interests of our Peer Mentors so that they are receiving the maximum benefit possible from this program.
We are looking to have Peer Mentors meet as a group twice per month (the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month) from 2:30pm-3:30pm. These meetings will be facilitated by a staff member and Peer Mentors will be encouraged to lead conversation and topic direction. Meeting time of the program can always be adjusted to the group's desired schedule and any changes will be reflected here on this page, as well as via communication to parents and families. The location of this meeting will be in our Helen Thatcher White Galleries building in the 3rd Floor Boardroom. Participants are welcome to bring food/drinks/snack with them to meetings, as well as any supplies such as notebooks, pens/pencils, computers, tablets, etc. The Arts Center will also have supplies on-hand for students to utilize as well.
During these meetings, the group can discuss:
- What they are learning from their service in the classroom
- What challenges they have observed in the classroom environment and questions they may have
- Techniques they have used or can use to overcome those challenges and use to answer those questions
- What topics they are interested in the Arts Center hosting for our career seminar series
- What opportunities, programs, events, and resources they would like the Arts Center to offer
- What classes they'd like to see us offer for middle and high school students
- Their dreams, goals, and interests
- AND MORE!
We hope to incorporate during some of these meetings, activities such as vision-boarding, group learning and research opportunities, and programs and events designed by the group.
Spring/Fall
An opportunity for Peer Mentors to coach alongside our art teachers is within our Friday Arts Academy. Friday Arts Academy is our child and youth program which provides a variety of arts classes throughout the day on Fridays during the school year; serving grades kindergarten through 12th grade. At present, the majority of students enrolled in this program are elementary-aged. We offer youth classes as part of Friday Arts Academy from 9:00am-2:30pm on Fridays in the Spring and Fall and our teachers always appreciate the extra help in their classes. Our classes have the following hour structure:
- 9:00am-10:00am
- 10:00am-11:00am
- 11:00am-11:30am (supervised lunch period)
- 11:30-12:30
- 12:30-1:30
- 1:30-2:30
Summer:
During the Summer months we will look to host a variety of optional workshops and activities Mondays/Tuesdays/Wednesdays during after school hours, as well as on weekends. More information will be released on our events page, e-newsletter, website, bulletin boards, and communication to program participants and their families, as we get those opportunities scheduled. We also have special events that take place at the Arts Center throughout the summer which we utilize volunteers for as well.
The group is welcome to continue their scheduled meetings on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month at 2:30pm-3:30pm throughout the summer if they desire.
Apply Today!
To obtain a copy of our Peer Mentor Program Application, you can download a copy using the button below, pickup a copy at our Welcome Center Front Desk, or email ashton@sdc-arts.org to have one emailed director to you. We look forward to welcoming you to the program!
[Peer Mentor Application Button Here labeled "Download Application"]
Contact: Ashton Setvin, Director of Education & Programs, ashton@sdc-arts.org 719-295-7200 ext. 7214