EAST PROVIDENCE — Building a sense of community and a connection between the ages are at the heart of the recently introduced effort between East Providence High School student athletes and their …
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EAST PROVIDENCE — Building a sense of community and a connection between the ages are at the heart of the recently introduced effort between East Providence High School student athletes and their younger peers at the city’s elementary schools.
EPHS officials launched an initiative called "High Five Fridays” at the beginning of the 2018-19 term. Since, student athletes from the high school have started to visit elementary schools at the end of each week, welcoming their junior counterparts to class and, in the words of those who oversee the program, create an atmosphere of inclusion and respect.
The program was the creation of EPHS Student Resource Officer Patrolman Doug Borden, an 18-year veteran of the East Providence Police Department who has worked in the schools since 2006. EPHS principal Shani Wallace and district athletic director Gregg Amore assist in its administration.
The program consists of having high school students line up outside of the elementary school in the morning while pupils exit their buses and start their Friday. The EPHS athletes wear their respective uniform jerseys and form two lines to give high fives and encouragement to the excited youngsters. Each elementary school will be visited on a rotating basis throughout the year.
“The ‘High Five Friday’ program originated as a law enforcement outreach, but some communities, including locally Scituate for example, began to include high school student athletes. Principal Wallace, Mr. Amore and I figured we’d try it our way with both police and students,” Officer Borden explained. “It’s going over very well in the community as it’s tying the schools together in a positive way.”
Uplifting spirits and bridging the entire student body in the district are the themes of the program.
“It’s a great opportunity for our student athletes to help foster positive relationships within our community. We pride ourselves on our student athletes. They’re often viewed as role models to fellow students and especially our younger Townies,” said Ms. Wallace. "'Hive Five Friday' allows them a chance to connect with our elementary students in a positive and respectful manner. It’s a chance for the student athletes to share their pride, uplift spirits, give inspiration to our young Townies and unite our community.”
Showing the older students their position as mentors, they being examples to the youth who maybe their siblings, neighbors or sports heroes, is another key element of the program.
“It's a great opportunity for our student athletes to serve as role models while giving back to their community,” Mr. Amore said. “It gets everyone's Friday off to a great start while giving our elementary students something to aspire to while letting them know that the high school athletes care about them and want them to have a positive attitude about their school day and education. It's promoted in the school all week that our varsity athletes, who are in good social and academic standing, are coming to see them and given them a high five.”
The effort has been wholeheartedly embraced during its first go-round to the city's eight elementary schools. The plan was hatched with the hope of sustaining “High Five Fridays” at least through the end of the 2018-19 term and potentially into the future.
“We are making our younger students feel important and upbeat all the while teaching our high school students that they have a stake in the community,” Officer Borden added. “The program has been well received and we plan on continuing it throughout the school year.”
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