Looking Back, Moving Forward: What Students Are Taking With Them

As we approach testing season and the end of the school year, we’re wrapping up our mentor circles and taking time to reflect with our students on the past year—what they learned, what stood out, and what they wish we had done more of.

Some of the responses came with laughter. Students talked about the snacks and joked that we should have brought food more often (even though once a month felt like plenty). They laughed about how they tried to stay with us longer each week, hoping to skip their next class just to remain in the space a little longer.

But as the conversation went on, things shifted. Students shared that the discussion prompts and questions were meaningful and helpful. Many said they wished we spent even more time talking about mental health and learning tools they could use when life gets hard.

One moment stood out. A student asked the group, “What did you all think of me when you first met me?”

His peers responded honestly: “chill,” “energetic,” “fun.”
He looked surprised.

He shared that he had never heard himself described that way before. Most of what he had heard in the past was “angry,” “loud,” or “disruptive.”

In that moment, we were able to offer something simple but powerful:
“Isn’t it cool that how we described you is better than what you’ve been told before? Now you can choose to believe something better about yourself.”

It’s moments like that where perspective begins to shift—where students start to see themselves differently, not based on labels they’ve been given, but through the truth of who they are.

As we closed out, students asked if we would be back next year, how they could sign up again, and if they could bring their friends. While we’ll have more to share once we review end-of-year data, it’s already clear: these spaces matter.

We’ve seen real growth—not just in what students say, but in how they show up, how they relate to one another, and how they see themselves. Through every high and low, we are incredibly proud of who they are becoming.

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