By: Amber Haydar
Features Editor

Makos, we must admit, the freshmen and seniors have drawn the shortest end of the stick. No one could have predicted the current state of our world ten months ago, and these unpredictable events have dramatically affected the lives and academic pursuits of all. However, seniors are missing out on the ‘best year of their life,’ and the majority of freshmen have yet to meet their classmates face-to-face as we reach the end of our first semester. 

MAST’s Student Government Association has taken a creative approach to combating this plunge of human interaction, and have pioneered a way to both boost interaction between these two grade levels who are facing similar oddly circumstances, and help guide the freshmen in their navigation of unfamiliar MAST waters. Spearheaded by senior SGA officers Isabella Cortinas and Rafaela Lacava, the Senior Buddies initiative aims to ensure a smooth transition for new students at MAST.

By pairing seniors with new or incoming students with like-minded interests, students will hopefully get to the point where those involved could confide in one another regarding matters pertaining to relationships with fellow students, teachers, organization habits, and time management. Seniors work toward motivating their buddies and helping them get involved in our school community. 

“Our main goal is to help create a more welcoming environment at MAST Academy,” SGA Treasurer Isabella Cortinas said. “When students transfer to a new school it can be hard trying to work out student dynamics and such. Having a senior buddy will potentially better the community and the overall experience for those who are either freshmen or even transfer students trying to find their way around the school.”

As someone who transferred to MAST from Palmer Trinity School her sophomore year, Cortinas launched this project because she empathizes with those in similar situations, or are even worse off due to COVID-19. Even though we have all encountered the hardships that this global pandemic has brought about, we are united in our struggles. 

While this program is to specifically target the problems that our freshmen and seniors face, it is imperative for Makos to keep in mind that we are all in the same boat. The journey all of our Senior Buddies participants will embark on will inevitably benefit not only themselves, but the rest of our MAST community.