The middle school’s Writing Mentor Program, now in its third year, will run from fall until spring and gives middle school students a chance to improve their writing schools by being paired with an upper school mentor.

Middle school students meet with their mentors an hour each week over a period of eight weeks. The mentors look at the writing assignments the students have done as homework and offer their advice to improve the content and mechanics of their work. Mentors often have exercises pulled from online resources that the students can use to focus on areas where they are having difficulty. Mentors are nominated by upper school English teachers and interviewed by Patricia Lai Burrows, middle school English teacher and director of the program.

“In a short period of time, students gain greater confidence in their skills and establish a positive rapport with an older peer,” said Burrows.

The program is open to middle school students who apply by writing a letter to express their interest in participating. They are then interviewed by Burrows before entering the program. “In order to create value and make the most out of this time, students have to be self-driven and self-motivated,” she said.