A Grimsley student has rejuvenated a club that connects high schoolers with Brooks Global Studies Elementary.  Despite facing challenges after Brooks moved to a new location, the Brooks Buddies have persevered and now assist teachers in the classroom each day.

 

Club President Georgette Beaumont is a Grimsley sophomore who went to Brooks Global as an elementary student. She had looked forward to becoming a Brooks Buddy, but during the Covid pandemic, the club was discontinued. 

 

Beaumont recalls how Buddies from Grimsley would hang out and play with elementary schoolers during lunch and recess.  “I remember my classmates loving the program and getting excited to see their ’buddy’ every month,” Beaumont said. “So naturally, when I came to Grimsley, I was excited to be a part of the club that had meant so much to me as a kid.” 

 

When she discovered the club had died, Beaumont decided to put in the hard work to resuscitate it her freshman year. “I took it upon myself to revive the club,” she said. ”It was a challenge that involved constant emailing back and forth with teachers in order to find a new sponsor. Eventually, I found Ms. Kiss, who was interested in the goals of the club and willing to help out.” 

 

After an abundance of excited Buddies showed up at the interest meeting, participants were selected. “We were able to officially start the club last February (2024), and it has flourished ever since!” Beaumont said.

 

However, this endeavor was not without its setbacks. In December, Brooks Global  migrated to its new location on Ashland Drive by the Greensboro Arboretum. No longer right next door to Grimsley, the school wasn’t available to many Buddies who didn’t have consistent transportation. 

 

“I had to find new, reliable students who could drive themselves or could rely on their parents to drive them,” Beaumont said. “Eventually, we were able to find replacements and restart Brooks Buddies at the new school!”

 

Adapting to this change, students now assist teachers, perform tasks and help children learn to read in the mornings and afternoons of each school day. By fostering connections with elementary students, high schoolers learn about education, patience and leadership while gaining service learning hours in a field that interests them.

 

The club also enables students from other Guilford County high schools to participate, like Berkeley Willis, a Page sophomore. Through Brooks Buddies, he has gained service hours and a spot on student councils.

 

“Being a part of the club now has given me significant insight into my own strengths and values. Working with these kids helped me to realize that I enjoy teaching, at least in the capacity that I am doing it,” Willis said.

 

“For the future, being a Buddy gives me experience when I need a job, and it looks good to colleges.”

 

Cultivating connections is another key component of the club. Brooks Buddies have the chance to reconnect with old teachers while creating new bonds with elementary students. 

 

“So far I’ve worked with teachers who I already had a prior connection to,” Willis said. “Buddies helped deepen that connection.” 

 

Each day, Brooks Buddies like Catherine Bowers, a Grimsley sophomore, help out and contribute to the learning at Brooks Global. Usually, Buddies read with children one-on-one or find other ways to assist in their learning. 

 

“One of the kids that I read with is extremely funny and outgoing,” Bowers said, “Whenever I arrive, he asks if he can read with me first.”

 

“Through working as a Brooks Buddy, I have learned how to more effectively communicate and teach kids who are younger than me,” Bowers said.

 

Through this club, students can not only make a positive impact on their community, but also grow and learn through the process.