The 32 members of the Peer Leadership Program are chosen for their professed commitment to leadership and service to the community. They are among the most involved members of the senior class, and their prime concern each year is to shepherd the newest class of freshmen through their first year at the school.
Before the school year even starts the Peer Leaders set to work on the important issues of how they will build an efficient team to lead the freshman homeroom program and become big brothers to the ninth graders. They are well aware of the importance of their role, knowing that their charges come from nearly 80 different towns and from a wide variety of academic and social experiences.
Team-building, problem solving and leadership development are on the agenda in August as the seniors head off to their Summer Retreat. There they experience many of the same issues their ninth grade charges will experience during the year, and there they develop plans and strategies that will smooth the way for the frosh to have success in their new home.
A couple of weeks later they meet their new "little brothers" as the freshmen attend their orientation and begin to settle in, seniors and freshmen working through important issues like "where is my locker?" "how does this combination work?" "should I take a medium or a large gym shirt?" "where's the library?" and the like.
Also on the agenda for the Peer Leaders is their participation a number of service programs during the year. The sense of community-building among the team is strong, and membership in the program is highly sought after. The impact the program has had on multiple aspects of The Prep experience has been noted by students, faculty and parents alike.