PALS,Peer-Assistance-Leadership, is a program that is designed to help younger kidswho might have problems at home or are just shy and do not have many friends.

            “Iwant to help the others that are in need,” senior PAL Andrew Montemeyer said.

            Theare two PAL periods in which half of the 49 pals will go to Cline or Windsongand the other half will be at Westwood or Bales with both groups going to theJunior High.

            “Theworst thing is trying to schedule everyone, making sure everyone gets what theywant and are satisfied,” PAL sponsor Melissa Victorick said.

            EachPAL will have at least one friend at the elementary and intermediate schools,and a small group at the Junior High.

            “I’mso excited and nervous to get my PAL!” senior PAL Maddie Zipper said.

            Thestudents that are participating in the program do not get paired up with theirkids until the first weeks of October.

            “Wedo intense daily training,” Victorick said. “I try to make everything the PALSare learning relevant to our own campus.”

            Thetraining helps the students better prepare themselves for spending time with thestudents they will be helping.

            “Thehardest thing to do is prepare these students for the ‘what if’ situations,”Victorick said.

            Contraryto popular belief, the PAL program is not just about going to the youngerschools to play games with the kids.

            “Theprogram is about students helping other students,” Victorick said. “Little kidscan relate more to students closer their age then they can to their teachers orparents.”

            Studentshave many reasons for signing up the PAL program; the most dominant reason isjust wanting to help the kids.

            “Iwanted to help kids feel more comfortable in and outside of school,” Zippersaid.

            Theanticipation of the interaction between PALS and their PAL-ee is the mostnerve-racking thing for the students.

            “I’mvery afraid I wont be able to help my little PAL,” senior PAL Danielle Wauterssaid.

            However,the nerves are all worth it at the end of the program.

            “Thebest thing is about being the PAL coordinator is getting to work with theseawesome seniors the admiration their small PAL-ees have for them, “ Victoricksaid. “The students really make a difference in these kids lives.”