TAMPA, Fla. — While there are many pros to special needs programs in schools, one potential con identified by OurKids.net is a lack of integration.

It says students who only learn and interact with other kids with special needs can inhibit their growth in the long run.

What You Need To Know

  • Peer mentors are partnered with mentees from the ESE program

  • They meet weekly to work on special projects together

  • Teachers say program creates inclusion ESE students may not receive otherwise

  • More Education headlines

Hillsborough County Schools has come up with a solution: The Peer Mentoring program. Teachers at Seminole Heights Elementary say they’ve seen significant progress in both the special needs students involved, and the gifted students who are their mentors.  

At Seminole Heights Elementary, it’s called the “Beta Buddies” club.  The students do all kinds of activities together, and this week, they built Valentine’s Day bridges out of marshmallows and gummy bears.

Every week, the club meets to work on special projects.  

One “Beta” student, which is similar to the Honor Society, is matched with an ESE Access student to mentor.  

“The kids develop the lessons, I just facilitate it, so we meet twice a week, and the other two days they debrief and plan what they want to do next with their mentees,” said Amalia Gogan, who teaches the gifted students.  

Gogan says since launching the “Beta Buddies” program in the fall, it’s proven to be a huge success for her class.  “It’s helped them with empathy, being thoughtful of others, being considerate.”

And it goes both ways.  

Jared Rothfarb is the ESE Specialist and he says to his students, these weekly meet ups provide so much more than just a lesson. 

“It’s really fostered a lot of inclusion in here.  When they walk around the campus, they have friends in gen-ed now and when they walk up and they’re speaking to them, the other kids are like, 'How do you know that person?' 'Well, she’s in my club.'  They get to be part of something,” said Rothfarb.

And like their school’s mascot and slogan, “Two heads are better than one,” these students are proof of just that.  

The “Beta Buddies” peer mentoring program where children in the gifted program are paired with ESE students is unique to Seminole Heights Elementary, however, similar types of programs are implemented at other Hillsborough County schools, too.