EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, California -- Desert Jr./Sr. High School is the latest school to join the Student 2 Student program at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
S2S is a Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) initiative with the mission to take care of new students. This youth sponsorship program is student-led and faculty-advised. An S2S program shows students their new campus, and introduces them to the new community.
“New students face many social and emotional challenges as they transition in and out of school. MCEC’s core values of 100 percent acceptance, respect, leadership, and service for all will help foster positive social connections and assist incoming students feel accepted and welcome as they adjust to their new school and community,” said Candace Lang, Edwards AFB School Liaison Specialist.
The S2S program will be vital for new students when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and students are allowed back into classrooms. When base schools re-open for in-person learning, there could possibly be students who may have never even stepped foot on campus in the previous year.
“The students are producing a welcome video for new students that can be accessed on their website, The Desert High, on YouTube,” Lang said. “Once in-person learning resumes, they will be able to reach out and give them a warm welcome and tour of their campus.”
Students from nearby Boron and Desert Jr/Sr High School have joined together to receive the virtual training program led by MCEC instructors Cindy Petter and Zandra Grady. The students will learn the Student 2 Student Core Values of Leadership, Academics, Service, Finding the Way, and Relationships. The Muroc Joint Unified School District receive a grant sponsored by Lockheed Martin for the S2S program.
“I want to thank Lockheed Martin for sponsoring this important training and the students and Muroc administration for supporting the S2S program,” Lang stated.
It provides fun ways for new students to get to know other students and to build new peer groups and it encourages new students to perform better in school.