Student Assistant Program Helps Middle-Schoolers Find Success

Builds self-esteem and empathy

By Jen Bent
Bria Tremblay and Jaxson Daigneault are thinking about a question posed by Ms. Hanrahan during a Student Assistant Program lesson. Photo: Jen Bent

The sixth and seventh graders at AE/MS have benefited from a Student Assistant Program (SAP) lead by Megan Hanrahan. SAP is a school-based, evidence-informed framework for prevention, early intervention, referral, and support for students with needs that may prevent them from fully benefiting from their educational experience.

The program has covered topics including emotional intelligence, positive self-awareness, healthy responses to situations, and finding commonalities between one another.

Our students have gained a stronger sense of themselves and have been weaving empathy into interactions with one another. Ms. Hanrahan’s lessons were interactive and fostered healthy discussions each Monday.

Sometimes circumstances in our lives can make learning difficult, and SAP has provided some tools to help AE/MS middle school students implement new coping skills and increase self-esteem and, as a result, find continued success in school.