The 2016 Peer group has helped freshmen acclimate to high school life. (Photo by Thania Rubio)

By Thania Rubio

Peer Leadership is a global organization created by upperclassmen in high schools and universities, to guide and help underclassmen transition into their freshman year.

Many students complain about how much they dislike high school and coming from a small school into a big high school with more than 3,000 kids can be a little hard. With the peer pressure, hard courses and everything else that freshmen get exposed to, having a mentor can become handy.

The program is organized so that mentors get selected through an interview process. With help and inspiration from the seniors, the freshmen can not only learn how to get along in high school, but excel.

Why would an upperclassman want to be a part of this program?

Senior Brian Enriquez said, “I came into the Peer Leadership Program already a leader to my peers. Being a Peer Leader for PHS only enhanced and bettered what was already there while giving me both amazing and unforgettable memories.

Although you do not need to be accepted into this program to be a positive role model for freshmen or anyone for that matter, I learned a lot about how to work with groups, how to open up, and how to take other people’s feelings into consideration, which I couldn’t have learned as efficiently anywhere else.”

Another senior, Monica Garcia said, “I will always remember this great experience, my co-leader and my awesome peer group. I was just so much fun.”

Mr. Izaguirre and Mrs. Jose have been co-advisors for the Peer Leadership Program for over eight years. One fun fact is that we are both former PHS peer leaders.

Mrs. Jose said, “Being the Peer Leadership advisor has given me the opportunity to help develop leaders who will go on to be positive role models even after they graduate PHS. Peer Leaders make the work enjoyable, like a family. Watching the peer leaders dedicate their time and energy to making an impact on their younger peers is truly an inspiration. Our only wish is that more students in our school could benefit from this program. Being that we only have one period of Peer Leadership, only the freshmen who have that gym period are privileged to have peer leaders assigned to them.”