Mentoring the Makers of Tomorrow

Mentoring the Mentoring the Makers of Tomorrow Makers of Tomorrow

As the Middle School students complete their first two years and embark on their high school careers, they are given an opportunity to reflect on how they developed as students, artists, athletes, and as people through the School’s 8th Grade Capstone program.

During the program, students collected evidence of their growth within broad “habits of mind.” They became better collaborators and self-advocates. They developed organizational skills, and they communicated understanding in multiple modalities. They also persevered through challenges, took risks, and cultivated growth mindsets.

New for the program in 2021-22 was the addition of Senior STEAM mentors, who worked with the 8th Grade capstone students throughout the months of February, March, and early April. The Seniors joined the Middle School Seminar every Tuesday and rotated through five different groups during the three months. The students from the Class of 2026 then declared their project intentions in the Spring after having met with the STEAM Seniors. Having Seniors visit the Middle Schoolers elevated their student ideas and conversations.

The Senior mentors led brainstorming sessions with groups of younger students and served as sounding boards as they provided sage advice for the 8th Graders. This process helped the younger students articulate how their creative projects would show their growth as Middle Schoolers.

This process was also beneficial to Windward’s STEAM Seniors, who were able to impart their knowledge learned through the years of crafting their independent community service projects and opened the space for the Seniors to connect with 8th Graders in a meaningful way. Next year, Windward looks forward to continuing and expanding this mentorship program.