New PALS Selected

Isabella Geltman, Staff Reporter

The LEE PALS program has officially found its members for the 24-25 school year. Interviews were held in early March and members received their congratulations letters on March 8.

PALS visit three elementary schools to work with students, so making sure each member is capable and a good fit for the program is especially important. Members must be dedicated and adaptive to new situations while still maintaining a personal and light-hearted environment for their pal.

New students and PALS sponsors, Ms. Carrie Duesing and Ms. Cassy Miller are thrilled to start a new chapter in such a positive environment. While new PALS don’t officially start working with kids until next school year, there will be informational meetings, events, and opportunities for them in the meantime.

One of the events for future PALS is the overnight retreat held at Mo Ranch in the summer. The retreat is not only for the upcoming PALS to have some fun, but to bond and grow their skills with each other in an environment outside campus. “I think the retreat is a great way to teambuild and meet new people who are passionate about the program,” Sage Kimmel (10) said.

There was a surprising amount of applicants this year according to Ms. Duesing, who has been a sponsor for the program for the past eight years. While the sheer amount of students was quite overwhelming, sponsors were still excited to see such a large number of candidates wanting to join the program. Everyone involved is excited to see what opportunities and memories this next set of PALS will bring.