Bernice Ayer Middle School - Capistrano Unified School District
The philosophy of the PAL group at Bernice Ayer Middle Schools is based on being servant leaders and role models. Bernice Ayer’s PAL peer leaders are involved in all aspects of their program, from planning, implementing, and evaluating activities that increase engagement to supporting academics and creating a positive school culture. Some highlights of their 2023-2024 responsibilities and activities included Blue Ribbon week where PAL students each taught a 30-minute class lesson focused on raising awareness about bullying and promoting kindness. These lessons were followed by daily activities with the same themes. PAL peer leaders facilitated monthly cultural proficiency activities, supported individual students with special needs, and facilitated a game room (three to four times per week) during their school wide tutoring period. They also engaged their peers by facilitating school wide service projects, such as SOCKTOBER and a pencil drive.
PAL peer leaders grew in their leadership skills through ongoing training, working collaboratively, and writing journal reflections. They took on the weekly responsibility of planning, teaching, and evaluating a variety of leadership lessons, such as Encouraging Words, Paying It Forward, Global Citizenship, and Natural High. Outside of their role as PAL peer leaders on their campus, the students were responsible for completing 20 hours of community service throughout the school year. Through their role as peer leaders, Bernice Ayer PAL students have reported increased self-awareness, helping them to make better choices. PAL student Faith Navarro, shared, “PAL has helped me to become a better person and leader.”
Brookhaven Elementary School - Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
The PAL group at Brookhaven Elementary School is committed to empowering students to become leaders and agents of positive change within their school community. PAL peer leaders started the school year participating in a leadership retreat and had ongoing monthly leadership trainings. They had the opportunity each trimester to work in small “Bear Squads,” (smaller groups focused on specific areas of interest or initiatives). In these squads, students explored their interests and developed new leadership skills. Squads focused on different topics, such as Kindness Squad, Green Team, Game Squad, Welcome Squad, and Peer Buddy Squad.
Setting a tone for a positive school climate and fostering a sense of belonging, the Welcome Squad greets students every morning with smiles and high fives. PAL Recess Buddies look for students who need a friend to play with or who need help following their school-wide behavior expectations of being safe, respectful, and responsible. The Game Squad is responsible for organizing and maintaining the schools game cart and encouraging other students to play, as well as planning activities throughout the school year, such as a friendship bracelet station during recess. The Kindness Squad organizes activities to promote kindness and compassion within the school community, such as raising awareness about childhood cancer and Down Syndrome. The Green Team Squad takes care of their school garden, maintaining its upkeep and overseeing other students interested in gardening. The Peer Mentor Squad pairs students with lower-grade buddies during recess. The younger students are recommended by their teachers for support with making friends or with following school-wide behavior expectations. Peer mentors were given specific training to address the needs of their individual buddy. Through leadership, kindness, engagement, and a commitment to growth and improvement, the Brookhaven PAL program has fostered a positive school climate where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
Ladera Ranch Middle School - Capistrano Unified School District
The Ladera Ranch Middle School PAL group has a mission to make all Ladera Ranch Lions feel welcome and safe, spread kindness, and promote inclusivity and diversity. This year PAL students worked closely with the school’s counseling team to offer monthly workshops on a variety of topics, such as bullying/cyberbullying and making new friends and overcoming shyness. They hosted Kindness Month and lunches to welcome new students, organized numerous lunchtime activities for both their school and the neighboring elementary school, and worked with the Cultural Proficiency Team to roll out the No Place for Hate Program. They collaborated with ASB to make their school more welcoming and inclusive for all students and assisted the PBIS team in constructing a brand new behavior matrix for the school. The PAL group utilized the California Healthy Kids Survey results to help identify key areas in which their school might benefit from additional support. This led to planning and implementing a school-wide assembly that highlighted the importance of using kind language.
PAL peer leaders are involved in all aspects of activity planning. They work in small teams to divide up the work. After hosting an event, they gather together to reflect on the activity. They analyze the parts that worked and those that did not, and they write notes to improve for future events. These PAL peer leaders strive to be great leaders and positive role models for everyone at Ladera Ranch Middle School.
Las Flores K-8 School (Elementary PAL Program) - Capistrano Unified School District
The Las Flores Elementary PAL group had several goals and objectives this school year focused on inclusivity and acceptance, positive relationships, and school spirit. They provided opportunities for student involvement and leadership within their school community by creating engaging and interactive programs and initiatives that captured student interest and participation. PAL students took the lead in organizing and executing program activities, facilitating workshops, coordinating events, and mentoring peers.
PAL peer leaders planned monthly service projects such as assembling hygiene kits for the houseless community, collecting blankets and towels for animal shelters, assembling birthday boxes for service members, writing motivational notes to students before testing, and collecting donations for Wigs for Kids. Peer leaders took on weekly leadership roles such as mentoring Kindergarteners during recess, serving as morning ushers to greet arriving students, and providing companionship and support as recess buddies to fellow students in need. Las Flores Elementary PAL peer leaders also led initiatives that focused on bullying prevention, empathy-building, and conflict resolution. PAL has played a pivotal role in promoting positive behavior among students by serving as role models and advocates for respectful and responsible conduct. Overall, the PAL program has had a multifaceted impact on the school, creating a more vibrant, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where students are empowered to thrive.
Palisades Elementary School - Capistrano Unified School District
The eleven Palisades Elementary PAL peer leaders, supported by their advisor, Elaine Dolnack, have had a large impact on their school community with increasing engagement and supporting their school and local community. At the beginning of this school year the PAL students had specific goals: reach out to new students and others who might feel lonely, help with philanthropic drives that serve the community, provide tutoring to students, and support a positive climate at recess for all students.
This year the Palisades PAL peer leaders started a morning greeting during drop-off where they would greet the younger students and walk them on campus in order to bond. During recess the PAL peer leaders facilitate games for the lower and upper grade students. To address their goal of a positive climate during recess, they helped to create soccer rules so that all students can play and feel safe physically and emotionally. After school, PAL students provide tutoring in grades 1-5. Palisades PAL peer leaders facilitated a school wide literacy challenge to get all students K-5 engaged in reading at home. Their school data showed that March generally shows high incidences of behavioral issues outside the classroom on campus, so the PAL students planned a Micro Acts of Joy Challenge to increase emotional well-being across campus. They gathered Toys for Tots and other donations for local community organizations such as a domestic violence shelter and an unhoused shelter. Peer leaders worked with the Dana Point Women’s Club and collected 27 handbags which were then donated to a United Way affiliate who filled the bags with toiletries. Another collaboration was with their Education Foundation in co-writing a grant for recess equipment. They were funded $500. PAL students then took on the responsibility of monitoring equipment and training other students in how to properly use the equipment. To demonstrate their growth in leadership skills, Palisades PAL students planned a leadership afternoon for all 5th graders. Peer leaders were involved in planning and leading activities. Their goal was to improve teamwork and empathy among 5th graders. This small group of PAL students have had an impactful influence on their school and surrounding community.
Samuel E. Talbert Middle School - Fountain Valley School District
Talbert Middle School PAL peer leaders are empowered to connect with their peers, their community, and themselves. Their goal is to make sure that students feel included at the middle school level and are focused on their mental well-being.
PAL peer leaders connected with students as they started on the first day of school by making signs to welcome their peers back, and they helped new students and incoming 6th graders navigate the campus. PAL students organized monthly activities and service projects to engage students and to support the local community. Some of the 2023-2024 service projects were: a Pastathon, collecting pasta and pasta sauce for Katerina’s Club (a local organization), a Winter Boutique, raising $400 which was donated to families in need at their school, and a Coins for Carter fundraiser. This fundraiser was organized by the PAL group themselves, honoring a Fountain Valley School District student who passed away, but would have attended their school this school year. PAL students created the guidelines and decided how the fundraiser would be run. The student body raised $4,369. PAL students learned first hand community connectivity through this activity.
To support mental health and well-being, Talbert PAL peer leaders hosted a Kindness Week and put together a slideshow for homerooms on well-being techniques like breathing, ambient music choices, and ways to deal with stress. They recognized that not all students feel acknowledged and connected to school and invited students with special needs to have lunch and play games on a weekly basis. PAL students are involved in all aspects of planning activities with their advisor there to support them. Talbert PAL students are known on their campus as being helpful and kind to all. They are called upon by many different groups and organizations for help with projects and events. All grade levels are impacted by their PAL program and benefit from the many activities that this PAL group carries out.
