Humboldt Bay High School
Eureka, California

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Students and staff from Humboldt Bay High School have been participating in the Glen Paul Exchange Project for seven years. Originally developed as a Service Learning opportunity, the Exchange focuses on Humboldt Bay students acting as peer mentors to emotionally and physically- challenged teenagers at Glen Paul School in Eureka.

On monthly basis, HBHS students sign up to share craft and sports activities with their "partners" across town. Teachers from Humboldt Bay and guest speakers from the medical and social services fields collaborate on curriculum that informs our students about brain function and development, disability, impairment and compensation and issues of self-esteem and personal discrimination most often experienced by the mentees and their families. School to Career connections are informally included and job shadow opportunities are provided for Humboldt Bay Students.

Over seven years, the Exchange has evolved from a staff-directed activity to one that is almost totally- student controlled. From applications, two Humboldt Bay students are selected each year to chair the project and are responsible for every program component except transportation. The students research projects and activities, pretest them in small groups, handle sign-ups for participation, determine dates and times with Glen Paul and assemble the required materials. A binder of completed activities is maintained in the school office.

Monthly holidays and community designations are often used for thematic directions. An annual "Play Day" at a local park culminates the year's interactions and celebrates the student and staff partnerships. Glen Paul students have had the opportunity to visit Humboldt Bay High School and experience a typical day on a high school campus. Prior to this request, all activities were on the Glen Paul campus.

It is impossible to explain the benefits of the Glen Paul Exchange Project. Formally and informally, students and staff have multiple opportunities to experience the core values of our Community of Caring program: respect, responsibility, family, trust, and caring. This program celebrates friendships, empathy and a diversity on a person-to person basis.