Best of the Week 2021-2022: Excellence in College Prep

IB STUDENTS BECOME MENTORS FOR LCA EIGHTH GRADERS, PROVIDING FEEDBACK FOR IB RESEARCH PAPERS

Earlier this week, a group of Edsmen IB students visited Lakewood Catholic Academy, a fellow IB World School partner and the first and only Catholic school in Ohio to offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, to help eighth grade students edit their IB research papers. Through this collaboration, Edsmen stepped into mentorship roles, taking leadership in providing a thorough and engaging peer review process with students at LCA. Edsmen embodied President Jim Kubacki's "First We Model," message and the IB focus on "Caring" through their hospitality and willingness to build trust and grow self-esteem in their connections with their peers. "As a colleague and I watched St. Ed's students coach about 50 eighth graders through research and revision, we remarked to each other, 'Could you imagine doing this stuff when we were kids?' And we meant it in the best way possible," says Associate Dean of Academics and IB Coordinator Nick Kuhar. "The focus, the purposefulness, the sense of accomplishment these students radiated was enviable. I'm seeing our students build important, timely skills. I'm seeing them explore their own and others' humanity in potent, creative ways." With a willingness to listen, mentor, and support LCA's students as they finalized their rigorous IB research paper process, Edsmen used their skills to provide helpful, constructive feedback to encourage fellow members of the IB community.