Photo courtesy of AnnaGrace Baldwin.
Homewood Middle School peer helpers.
Whether they are welcoming a new student, mentoring a younger classmate or leading conversations about mental health and healthy decision making, Homewood Middle and High Schools’ peer helpers are making a difference in the lives of those around them. Through service, leadership and genuine connection, these students are helping shape a school culture where support comes not only from teachers and counselors but from peers who choose to lift one another up.
Photo courtesy of Homewood City Schools.
Homewood High School peer helper Brooks Jackson with Principal Joel Henneke.
That spirit is at the heart of the peer helping programs in Homewood schools, where leadership is measured not by titles or accolades but by service. Through mentoring, advocacy and relationship building, peer helpers are creating a culture of care that extends far beyond the classroom.
At Homewood Middle School, peer helpers are selected through an application and interview process and receive training in mentoring, tutoring and peer support. Working closely with counselor and sponsor AnnaGrace Baldwin, students commit to serving as positive role models while actively supporting both their school and the broader community. The activities performed by the peer helpers support the middle school’s character education programs and were a component of Homewood Middle being selected as a 2026 National School of Character.
Their impact can be seen throughout the building. Peer helpers welcome new students, lead campus tours, support classrooms, mentor younger peers and spend time in specialized classrooms in which meaningful relationships are built through consistency and care. Seventh graders often serve as classroom buddies, while eighth graders extend their leadership into elementary schools by teaching lessons on friendship, healthy decision-making and mental health awareness.
Peer helper and rising ninth grader Reese Elliott said the program is rooted in gratitude.
“Everybody has poured into me so much in Homewood,” she said. “I’m so grateful that I get the opportunity to give back.”
For Elliott, peer helping is more than an extracurricular activity. It is an opportunity to invest in others the same way others have invested in her.
That commitment to service continues at Homewood High School, where peer helpers begin their journey with a video application and interview process before attending a two-day leadership retreat. From the beginning, students are challenged not only to participate but also to lead.
Photo courtesy of AnnaGrace Baldwin.
Homewood Middle School peer helpers serve as reading partners for elementary school students.
For new peer helper and rising 10th grade student Sloan Chewning, the opportunity carries both purpose and excitement.
“It feels great,” she said. “I like being a leader and showing my leadership skills to my fellow peers. I just want to support them.”
For Sloan, stepping into the role represents a chance to make a meaningful difference through encouragement and example.
Fellow peer helper and twin sister Hadley Chewning shares that same sense of purpose.
“It is a new opportunity for me that I can learn skills to help me serve my peers,” she said.
The selection process for peer helpers at Homewood High School encourages students to reflect on their personal journeys and the challenges they have overcome. For Sloan, that reflection included her experience with growth hormone deficiency. For Hadley, it involved learning to overcome challenges related to speech and confidence.
Those experiences now help shape how they support others. Both students are looking forward to participating in “study talks,” where peer helpers lead discussions with freshmen on topics such as peer pressure, bullying, substance awareness and mental health.
When asked what she was most excited about, Sloan pointed to those opportunities to connect with younger students and turn personal growth into service.
Photos courtesy of AnnaGrace Baldwin.
Homewood Middle School peer helpers serve as reading partners for elementary school students.
Across both schools, peer helpers are involved in prevention lessons, freshman transition support, mentoring programs, community events and schoolwide wellness initiatives. Supported by sponsors Carissa Anthony, Kristin Clark, Zach Butler and Hannah Smith, they help foster an environment where student voice, connection and care are valued.
Together, the middle and high school programs create a powerful pipeline of leadership. Students learn early that service is not separate from school life — it’s central to it. Homewood’s peer helpers are building and supporting something lasting: a culture where students do not simply attend school together but actively encourage each other along the way.
