Listening to Naeema Graham do karaoke is one of Tamara Walker's fondest memories of the time she has spent with Naeema.
Spending time with Naeema, an eighth-grader at the Downtown Middle School, has also taught Walker a little more about how adolescent girls think and learn.
Walker, 22, is a senior biology major at Salem College. Walker's sociology professor, Krista McQueeney, came up with the concept of a mentoring partnership between the college and the middle school.
"The students are learning about adolescent girls and their experiences, so I believe that it's important to go to the source and ask girls what they're experiencing," McQueeney said. "The real-life experience is important to gain as well as the theories and concepts from the books.
"In turn, I believe it is important for adolescent girls to have role models that aren't necessarily their parents--having someone to talk to and listen to you, but also to share their experiences and provide guidance about how to handle important life choices."
Ten of McQueeney's students and 10 eighth-graders from the middle school meet separately for two hours each week. The whole group has met twice, once at the college in September and once last weekend at Creekside Lanes bowling alley.
Annie Fleming-Weaver, the principal of Downtown Middle, said she hopes that the program will increase the girls' aspirations to attend college after they graduate from high school.
"The self-esteem and leadership skills they will develop through these workshops will be a big boost for them as well," Fleming-Weaver said.
College officials plan for the program to continue next year.
"The program forces us to step it up and look at things in a different way," Walker said.
"It is about looking through their eyes.
"We were their age once, but we're not anymore."
Naeema, 14, asked Walker if she would continue mentoring her after the program was over for this semester.
"We check up on each other, she helps me with my homework and stuff, and we go places and hang out sometimes," Naeema said.
"I think that she's a good person to hang out with. She is kind, good-hearted and just a good person all around.
"I learned to be proud of yourself, of who you are and just to live your life in a good way and just to be yourself and have fun," Naeema said.
Walker said that she enjoys Naeema's company and that she will keep mentoring her after the end of the semester.
"I enjoy being around her, and I think she enjoys being around me," Walker said.
"She's a great girl, always happy, always smiling, always giggling. It's just not a friendship I'm willing to give up."
■ Lisa Boone-Wood can be reached at 727-7232 or at lboone-wood@wsjournal.com.
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