​​Student Mentors Create Lasting Impact at Highland Elementary

On a busy afternoon at Highland Elementary School, the kindergarten students in Mrs. Dalton’s afternoon class rush to the door. Suddenly, the room is in motion, and Liliana Ruiz is surrounded. She stands at the center of a joyful cluster of smiling five-year-olds - arms hugging, voices calling her name, unable to move as she laughs and smiles, wrapped in a swirl of kindergarten energy.

Liliana, a senior at Rifle High School, is one of the first student mentors in Highland’s growing mentor program. While she helps wherever she is needed, her heart and much of her time live in the kindergarten classroom. Three days a week, she steps into the role of trusted helper, translator, role model, and steady presence for some of Highland’s youngest learners.

“I like working with little kids,” Liliana beamed with her bright smile. “They make my day. This is what I look forward to.”

Liliana’s journey into mentoring began when Rifle High School athletic director Cory Hitchcock and Highland Elementary teacher Heidi Bair collaborated to bring more high school students into the elementary school. What started as a one-time visit helping students learn volleyball quickly became something more.

“Mr. Hitchcock recommended me for the mentorship program, so it pretty much all started because of him,” she laughed.

While large group visits between RHS students and Highland classes bring novel excitement, Bair recognized that some students needed something deeper: a reliable “somebody” who would show up, listen, and care week after week. That vision became the Highland Elementary Student Mentor Program.

Today, Liliana mentors two fifth-grade girls before spending her afternoons in kindergarten. As a bilingual student, she provides crucial support for children who are still learning English, offering comfort and understanding in moments when language could otherwise feel like a barrier.

“I remember being little and not having the support I needed,” she said. “I never want a kid to feel left out or confused just because they don’t understand English.”

Beyond language support, Liliana helps with small-group learning, play-based activities, classroom routines, and anything else that helps the day run smoothly. Her presence has become something students eagerly anticipate.

“Miss Lili has been an incredible support in my kindergarten classroom, and I am truly grateful for the impact she has had on both my students and our daily learning environment,” said Highland Elementary kindergarten teacher Rebecca Dalton. “The students absolutely adore her and ask me every day if it is a ‘Miss Lili day,’ which speaks to the strong, trusting relationships she has built with them.”

While Highland students benefit from the consistency and care of mentors like Liliana, the experience is equally powerful for the high school students who serve. Liliana chose to commit her time not for class credit, but simply because it matters.

Through mentoring, she’s developing leadership skills, empathy, communication, and responsibility, cornerstones of the Garfield Re-2 Graduate Profile. She’s also gaining real-world insight as she explores future career paths, discovering that people-centered work is where she thrives.

“It introduces you to things you never knew you were interested in,” she said. “You learn how to adapt, how to help, and how much your presence can matter.”

Growing a Program Built on Heart

Currently, Highland is supported by two student mentors, each building meaningful connections with students across grade levels. The hope, said Bair, is to continue expanding the program and invite more juniors and seniors to step into this role, earn volunteer hours, and experience the joy of being someone’s person.

“One of the best reasons a high school student should consider becoming a mentor is that they can learn new things they never knew they were interested in,” explained Liliana, who is now considering a career in education. “Being a mentor has helped me learn to adapt to an unfamiliar environment and help other people, not just the kids, but the teachers, too. That’s a big thing.”

At its core, said Bair, the mentor program is simple: show up, be kind, build relationships, and have fun. But its impact is profound.

“Having a volunteer like Miss Lili makes a meaningful difference,” Dalton added. “She supports not only academics, but also students’ social and emotional growth, helping them feel seen, supported, and confident. Miss Lili’s time, dedication, and heart for children truly matter, and my classroom is better because of her.”

Because sometimes, all it takes to change a child’s day, or even their path, is knowing that somebody sees them.

And at Highland Elementary, that somebody just might be a high school student named Liliana.