“It’s not easy being a new kid in school,” says Kathyrn Miller, a fifth-grader at Annandale’s Mason Crest Elementary School. “I’m from an Army family, so I’ve moved a lot. It’s really hard to walk into a new classroom when you don’t know anyone, and everyone is staring at you.”
Tiger Team to the Rescue
Seeing other students suffer that same experience is what prompted Miller to join Mason Crest’s Tiger Team. The student-led welcome committee helps newcomers quickly adapt to the school community. “We give new students fun tours of the school. And then we show them where our classrooms are so they can find us if they need anything,” says Miller. “We watch out for them in the hallways and introduce them to other classmates so they will have someone to talk with during their lunch and recess.”
Named for the school’s mascot, Tiger Team was formed in 2023 by teachers Monica Buckhorn, Ellyn Pearson, and Kimberley Mathews. The program was meant to boost school community spirit while also improving attendance. Mason Crest’s mobility rate — a measure of how many students move in and out of a school during the year — is almost twice the average of other Fairfax County public schools.
Providing a Sense of Safety
The program is one way Mason Crest strives to make every student feel “safe, supported, included, and empowered,” which is a primary goal in Fairfax County Public Schools’ Strategic Plan.
“We serve several apartment communities,” says Mason Crest Principal Sherry Shin. “More than 40 different home languages are represented in our school, so our students are coming here from all over. Tiger Team members help new students feel safe and like they belong. And when we are able to match them with kids who speak the same language, that is especially beneficial.”
Shin says it’s a positive experience for all involved. “Serving as a peer model is a great leadership opportunity,” she says. There are currently 15 Tiger Team members, recognizable by the red shirts they wear on tours that read, “We Belong.”
Making a Difference
Any fifth grader can apply to be on Tiger Team. “Besides giving tours, we have a mailbox where students can leave notes asking for our help,” says team member Sawyer Clark. “During tours, we introduce the new student to as many teachers and students as possible, and if we happen to see them later in the hall or at lunch, we always ask how they are feeling and if they are having fun. We’ve made a difference, and not just with the students. Being kind spreads to our community, too, like with Custom Ink who was kind and gave us our shirts.” Custom Ink in Fairfax’s Mosaic District provided the team’s shirts at no cost.
“I’ve been at this school six years, since preschool,” says Tiger Team member Anaya Waseem. “I know all of the teachers and classrooms, and it feels good to help shy students find new friends, so they don’t feel alone. I don’t want any kids feeling left out. Being on Tiger Team has made me more confident, and now I can help other kids feel confident, too.”
Tiger Team members practice introductions and social skills prior to tours. “I never rush my tours or walk or talk too fast. Because I want the new student to know that I am really glad to spend that time with them,” says team member Sofia Henriquez.
“Tiger Team is doing great, awesome things,” adds team member Ahmad Harris. “I enjoy the team meetings, and I like welcoming other students and being kind.” Harris recently gave his own cousin a tour. “I showed her how to get on the bus and how to find the way to her classroom.”
Leadership Skills
Developing leadership is a valuable part component of Tiger Team, says Mathews. Students meet during working lunches to fine tune communication skills and establish team goals. Results have been so positive, members have also started welcoming and guiding new students and parents at school functions and family events, like bingo night.
“These students really take the lead in making new students feel welcome, and we just offer guidance and support,” says Pearson. “They selflessly give up their lunch or moments of fun free time to do this. When I watch students like Anaya talk about how she’s been here for six years, since preschool, I can just feel the love from her when she’s giving a tour. Our Tiger Team members feel like Mason Crest is their home, and they truly want our newest students to feel the same way.”
Feature image courtesy Ellyn Pearson
