Ambassador program expands to Middle School

The Blackhawk Ambassador program is celebrating its fifth year in Pea Ridge Schools. The program originally began as a high school student led group to address bullying in school. In the first year, the Ambassadors worked to identify ways to address bullying by attending training sessions at the Child Advocacy Center, with Ozark Guidance and by collecting data related to school climate.

Over the years, the program has expanded to encouraging all high school students to feel accepted with peers, celebrating kindness. The Ambassadors have become leaders in their school and community by dedicating time to volunteer, being role models for younger students, and continuing to receive training and education on the social and emotional concerns for themselves and of others.

This year, the program has expanded to the Middle School students. To create this new group, known as the Junior Ambassadors, seventh- and eighth-grade students were selected and recommended by teachers at the Middle School. Teachers were asked to nominate students they felt demonstrated kindness, positive leadership skills, and positive community involvement.

The students selected then were given an opportunity to participate in the beginning of the year training for the Ambassadors. The group engaged in team building activities and discussed several projects they could participate in.

The Junior Ambassadors will help the High School Ambassadors with community volunteer projects, positive school engagement activities, including a program to help feel other students feel welcome to have a friendly person to sit next to at lunch, so no one feels alone. The Junior Ambassadors shows promise for being a great new extension of the Pea Ridge Ambassador program.

Photograph courtesy of Amanda Childs Middle School students were selected to be junior ambassadors for Pea Ridge Schools. Ambassadors include Skyler O’Neal, Savannah Bratti, Donovan Oxford, Lacey Williams, Kaleigh Snoderly and Jackson Blood.