Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Jan. 30, 1992, edition 1 / Page 11
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Peer Helpers Are There When Fellow Students Need To Talk BY SUSAN USHER When you need someone to talk to, where do you turn? For an increasing number of Brunswick County High School students the answer may be a fellow student. Not just any student, not their best friend, but a peer helper with special skills. "They arc not counselors, they are listeners," says Judy Harris, a guidance counselor at West Brunswick High School. "They were trained to be good listeners." North Brunswick High School in Lcland started the peer helper program on a pilot basis last year. The re sults were encouraging and the program expanded this fall to all three high schools. Selected students complet ed a 20-hour workshop shortly after the start of school and arc on the job. Peer helpers give up one class period a day for the entire school year to be available to fellow students, working out of a room in the guidance area. "It's a big responsibility, period," said Ms. Harris. Recently, one hour of class credit was approved for program participants, reflecting what they already knew: while helping fellow students, peer helpers are themselves learning and maturing. "It made me feel good about myself that I could help my friends," said Jennifer Home of Ocean Isle. "It's built my own self-esteem." At West Brunswick High, the STOP sign ouLside the guidance suite sums up the essence of the program. STOP is the acronym for "Students Trusting Other Peers." At first students were slow in seeking out peer helpers; the volunteers had to prove themselves trust worthy and helpful. Though the peer helpers say it's been a challenge, maintaining confidentiality hasn't been a problem. A poster on the door bears this constant reminder that it's a top priority: "STOP ? Wiat is said here. What is heard here. Let it stay here." Peer helpers are taking their re sponsibilities to fellow students seri ously. As a result, with lime, more and more students arc turning to them when they need to talk, to sort things out. "1 think it's easier for a student to talk to you than to an adult," said sophomore Tammy Roberson, a peer helper trom the Hoiden Beach area. "It's like talking to a friend. They think you might understand better what they're going through." Through peer helpers, the guid ance office may be r^arhinp a new group of students. "The people who come in don't really think the counselors can relate to them," said Meg Small. "I think they might not have talked to anyone else." Bertha Bell.West guidance coun selor agrees. "Often a student feels more comfortable talking to someone their own age. They feel they can talk freer than with an adult. There's no perceived 'generation gap'." At West Brunswick, at least one i peer helper is available every period throughout the day. After an initial interview the peer helper and stu dent may meet three or four more times, up to 30 min utes at a lime, as the student tries to work out a particu lar problem. At that point, if the peer helper has seen no change in the situation, it's time to refer the student to a guidance counselor. * "They refer to us and we refer to them." said Ms. Harris. "It works both ways." Peer helpers walk a fine line. Before, when a friend talked to them about a prob lem, it was OK to offer advice. As peer helpers, it's not OK, ever. "You want to so bad because you're used to talking with your friends," said helper Meg Small of Shallotte, a senior. "But you can't. You'd be responsible if it went wrong." She and other volunteers say they've learned it's better to steer close friends to other peer helpers, and they're learning not to make other students' problems their own. Says Ms. Bell, "The students have been trained to listen and not take sides, and to ask the thought provok ing questions that cause a student to come to grips with something. There's no 'If I were you, I would do this.' People have to draw their own conclusions." The students who serve as peer helpers were select ed by recommendation of both their peers and a com mittee of school faculty and staff. At the end of school last year, a survey asked studenLs to list the fellow stu dents with whom they felt most comfortable talking to. From that came a list of prospects that was reviewed and narrowed down by faculty members. Keeping in mind continuity of the program, the emphasis was on mostly sophomores and juniors, though a few seniors CONFIDENTIALITY HELPS. Peer helpers like Tammy Roberson (above) meet with students in private and may share their experiences only with a guidance counselor, not other stu dents. <zA/(arik Jbaundzti, Family Optometry ?Comprehensive Eye Examinations ?Ocular Emergencies ?Contact Lenses and Glasses Prescribed ?Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases of the Eye Suite 3, Promenade Office Park 143 Holden Beach Road, Shallotte Office hours by appointment. Evening and Saturday appointments available. Phone 754-9687 Member American Optometric Association ?1990TME BRUNSWICK BEACON Main St. Shallotte 754-4846 Clearance SALE in progress Tremendous Savings Throughout The Store on Men's & Ladies' Fall & Winter Fashions STAfF PHOTOS BY SUSAN USHtK AMONG THE DOZEN peer helpers at West Brunswick High School are (from left) Jennifer Home, Meg Small and Sally Schutte. They're trained to listen when a fellow student has a problem and needs to talk. were acccpied. r\f tkA InmMtA/l AN J ? J f - \Ji uiv 5>Uup UugCiCU, Oil CVV.ll UVJ/.Ctl i C.*?^7VJI IVJVXi IV> an invitation 10 sign up for training. West's group in cludes Becky McKeilhan. Jana Perkins, Felishia Hill, Caroline Carlisle, Laurie Holmes, Jason Benton, Pam Detrie and Kristina Poulos, in addition to the four stu dents interviewed. In training Uicy learned how to listen activeiy ana practiced interview techniques that help students define their problems and explore possible solutions. They al so learned ways of telling when a referral to someone else is appropriate or when a student is simply killing time, and how to deal with those situations. In their talks with students, peer helpers mosdy lis ten. When they do talk, it is usually to rephrase some thing a student has said, as in, "What 1 think I hear you saying...." or to ask a question that requires more than a yes or no answer: "What do you think your choices are? What do you think might happen if you chose tnat op tion?" "Wc try to help the students resolve problem for UlCitlbCi jiiiu iVio. i iuii i >>? Peer helpers work hard at remaining objective and always helpful. During the course of a day they may hear about a boyfriend-girlfriend problem, a student's difficulties with a teacher or class, or a student's own insecurities. While a particular concern might seem mi nor on tne surface, said Saiiy acnuttc, snc concentrates on the student so as "to understand that to them their problem is real, that it's very important." While offering students another option for and pro viding participants an opportunity for personal growth, the peer helper program also frees counselors to spend more time with those students who need it, say Ms. Harris and Ms. Bell. Both support continuation of the program next year, but say some refinements will be made after this first year's experience. "It's been a good program, but we see some things we need to do," said Ms. Bell. TNext Medifast Classes Start March 5 Call today to sign up. Marilyn J. Boehm. M.D.. Ph. D. 919-754-5581 Village Pines. Shallotte 919-754-9949 GOING OUT OF BUSINESS Is HALF PRICE OR LESS Includes All Ladies' Apparel ? Jewelry ? Accessories NEW SPRING ITEMS Must Go HALF PRICE Absolutely Every Item Must Go! 9uality Ladies' = I Fashions Missy ? Jr. ? Petite 6 CALABASH '''"S 60579-7299 SE| Located in Low Country Stores on Hwy. 179 In Calabash I$i0 CREDiT 1 H given to any new customer ? * with prescription. ^ *2 OFF ? v New Prescriptions O COASTAL DRUG ? STORE ? 4802 Main Street, Shallotte Across From Camp United Methodist Church Open 9 a.m. -5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Phone 754-6563 Expires Feb.4 H Kimberly Jo's Boutique Ladies' Clothing ? Wolff Tanning Final Clearance Sale 60%- 70% OFF ALL MERCHANDISE IN STOCK! Cash or check only on sale items. All sales final. Sale does not include new spring arrivals Wolff Tanning lO Sessions? $25 HOURS: Mon-rri 8 AM until. Sat 10 5 Other times by appointment Located on Hwy. 179 in the Coastal Mechanical Bldg. OCEAN ISLE ? 579-7670 or 579-6290 'name Brand Ladies Fashions At Affordable Prices'
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 30, 1992, edition 1
11
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