Mount Saint Mary College student Jaedyn Lewis, a Human Services major, works with students from the Highland Falls Intermediate School during the CONNECT after-school program on Tuesday, November 28.
Mount Saint Mary College’s Center for Adolescent Research and Development (CARD) is currently assisting with the CONNECT After-School Program for Highland Falls Intermediate School students in grades 3-8.
CARD identifies potential mentors for the after-school program, which is sponsored by the West Point Association of Graduates. Many of these mentors are currently teacher candidates at the Mount.
Running throughout the school year, CONNECT’s goal is to assist students in acquiring beneficial skill sets to learn, create, and lead in STEM and the humanities. Helping students reach their full potential in school and life, the program offers personal development through mentorship, exposure to engaging extracurricular activities, and academic support.
In addition, the program has become a beneficial addition for Mount teacher candidates, providing them with the experience they need to grow as future educators.
For Mount seniors Maria Davino of Westchester, N.Y. and Anthony Bosco of Huntington, N.Y., being a part of the CONNECT program has been a rewarding experience that has helped them to better understand the balance between education and community.
“Working with the students at this school, I saw a wide variety of differences between the student’s educational and developmental milestones,” Davino explained. “This program gave students something to look forward to and participate in. It gave some sad kids a happy place; as teachers, that is [what we] hope for.”
Bosco added, “It taught me behavior management [and] leadership skills, and gave me the opportunity to work with experienced teachers who gave me tips and tricks for my future career path.”
Monica Merritt, associate professor of Education at the Mount, expressed how the program is growing for both students and teacher candidates. With CONNECT currently in its second year, she sees the potential for incorporating internship opportunities for Mount teacher candidates into the program, with the possibility of the program evolving into a year-round format.
“By participating as a CONNECT mentor, teacher candidates have the opportunity to interact with students in an alternative setting while receiving mentorship from experienced supervising teachers, providing an optimal setting for them to gain valuable and diversified experience in the field prior to student teaching,” said Merritt.
The Mount Saint Mary College Center for Adolescent Research and Development (CARD) is a clearinghouse for research initiatives. These include the psychological, social, cultural, educational, and health-related issues endemic to contemporary adolescents and young adults.