Mifflinburg senior launches mentorship program at elementary school
Nov. 29—Editor's Note: The Daily Item will feature Valley seniors who are on the go, taking college courses or working co-ops while finishing their high school degree. This is part six of a nine-part series.
MIFFLINBURG — Troy Dressler is a young man with a busy schedule.
Dressler is not only taking college courses and being a star athlete, but the 18-year-old senior at Mifflinburg Area High School started a program this school year where he and other students visit the elementary school to provide mentorship to the younger students. Dressler is also the class vice president and works at Reiff's Nursery & Greenhouses in Mifflinburg during November and December.
Dressler attends classes three times a week at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, a campus of the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. The dual enrollment is made possible through the university's ACE (Advanced College Experience) program.
"It's a good way to get accustomed to college," said Dressler. "I'm trying to keep my class rank high. Those classes there are highly graded through the system. If you're planning to go to college, it helps you out. It's not even a quarter of the price of what actually college would be. It gives you a step up on the college process."
At Bloomsburg, Dressler takes psychology, anthropology, small group communications and business classes. He intends to major in business and economics.
After spending two seasons breaking records as Mifflinburg's starting quarterback, Dressler now leads the area in catches after moving to wide receiver. The move was made after the senior — who carries a 4.0 GPA — injured his arm during baseball season. He also has the position of pitcher and shortstop in baseball.
When Dressler is not taking classes, he started The Wildcat Way where high school students read to younger elementary classrooms while creating a community learning environment across the schools. Since the beginning of the school year, Dressler and about 15 seniors visit students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
"I've always liked being involved with younger kids and mentoring them, so it's a way to get our seniors who have time off to go to the younger levels and read to them and talk to them about going to middle school and high school," said Dressler. "Our main goal is to promote involvement and how to make school fun."
The younger students love it, he said.
"They have excitement on their faces," said Dressler. "They really look up to us. I guess since I'm an athlete, they really look up to me. It's really cool to see that. We have a good time. We play games with them. On Halloween, we gave them candy."
Dressler said he wants to hand the program down when he graduates. He said it's important for younger students to experience good role models in older students.
Dressler doesn't attend any classes at the high school, but he comes back to the school for student council meetings, clubs and event planning.
"It gives me extra time to do a lot in the community and for myself," said Dressler.
Alison Lorson, the non-traditional educational coordinator for Mifflinburg Area School District, said 31 seniors are in the dual enrollment program, 10 full-time seniors in the district's e-learning program, four seniors in the cooperative education program and 61 seniors attend SUN Area Technical School in New Berlin.
"A lot of students are not taking the traditional senior year path and staying in-house to take classes," said Lorson. "A lot of seniors are off-campus. They are given great opportunities outside the brick and mortar high school."
Dressler is a great example of a non-traditional student utilizing their schedules to give back to the community and school district, said Lorson.
"He took on that program (The Wildcat Way) by himself," she said. "It's a cool activity to build the community between our buildings. It's amazing what they are doing."
