Officers from Islip High School’s Buccaneer University Peer Mentoring program visited 8th-grade students during their lunch periods, creating a welcoming and engaging introduction to the high school experience.

Each table of middle school students had the opportunity to meet, interact, and share their lunch period with a peer mentor. 

School counselors Caitlin Appel and Nicole Hall facilitated an icebreaker activity designed to spark conversation, build connections, and promote teamwork. Students discovered shared interests while working together to build towers from index cards, fostering collaboration and camaraderie.

The event served as the official kickoff to the high school transition process. Students will reconnect with their peer mentors in May during advisory periods and outdoor team-building activities.

By establishing these relationships early, 8th graders will enter high school with familiar faces and a built-in support system, helping ease the transition and set the stage for success.