By MalloryConnealy

One of Marian’s most significant attributes is sisterhood between the classes in order to unify the students as a whole school. Peer2Peer is a club where students are dedicated to welcoming the freshmen each year and helping to make their transition into high school as smooth and comfortable as possible. It’s made up mainly of sophomores and a couple of juniors, and moderated by counselor Mrs. Anna Sparwasser. 

Sophomore Sophia Heinert joined the club for the first time this fall, because her older sister, Olivia Heinert ‘22, inspired her to join and it was a simple opportunity to get involved in one of the various clubs that Marian has to offer. 

The main focus of the club is to “help incoming freshmen better understand Marian traditions and offer them another resource to ask questions and learn more about the school,” Heinert said. 

The club meets twice a month to go over discussion plans for the upcoming weeks. “Each Wednesday, we go into our assigned freshman homeroom and go over the predetermined agenda and answer any questions that the students have,” Heinert said. The agenda is a combonation of upcoming events and Marian traditions that are vital to know about. These weekly sessions help the freshman class to stay updated on school activities and give them the opportunity to get more involved. 

With finals coming up, the members of Peer2Peer are preparing to give extra support to the freshman class as they take their first high school semester finals. “We give them study tips and tools that have been effective for us in our personal preparations for finals,” Heinert said. 

Preparing and taking finals for the first time can be an intimidating task, but with the plentiful amount of resources available including the Peer2Peer leaders, finals can seem less overwhelming. 

“The most important value of the Peer2Peer club is building connections with the freshmen between different grade levels and helping them adjust to being in high school,” Heinert said. 

By meeting with the freshman students weekly, giving them necessary information about school traditions and events and simply being available to answer any questions or concerns, the Peer2Peer club is strengthening the sisterhood at Marian and creating a positive and welcoming environment for incoming underclassmen.