Sierra Canyon's 6th Grade class is growing their leadership skills through a new Lower School mentorship initiative, the Trailblaze Together program, designed to strengthen community connections and reinforce the School's Big Four values—Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Kindness.
Last month marked the official launch of the mentor lessons, as small groups of 6th Grade students visited Lower School classrooms to lead character-based activities and model positive leadership on campus.
For Kindergarten–2nd Grade, the lesson Big Deals/Little Deals helped students decide when a problem is a "Big Deal" that requires adult help and when it is a "Little Deal" they can solve independently. The lesson also introduced simple strategies for managing the big feelings that can come with everyday challenges. For 3rd–5th Grade, the focus shifted to Peer Influence, with mentors guiding discussions about positive peer pressure, the courage to say no, and strategies for handling uncomfortable situations.
Each session began with small groups of 6th Grade students leading whole-class discussions, followed by interactive games that allowed students to practice what they learned. These hands-on experiences not only engaged the younger Trailblazers but also gave the 6th Grade mentors valuable opportunities to grow as communicators and role models.
"This initiative sets the expectation of leadership and service while also helping our students better understand and get to know the community they are part of," said 6th Grade Teacher Mrs. Rehani Slipock. "It puts them in a mindset of being a role model on campus, gives them practice speaking and listening outside of their everyday classroom activities, and introduces them to faculty they may not know."
As the program continues, with additional lessons and rotating grade-level pairings, every 6th Grade homeroom will have worked with every Lower School grade level from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th Grade. Students and teachers alike are enthusiastic about the lessons ahead and the meaningful relationships being built along the way.
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