By MICHAEL STRAND

Salina Journal

BROOKVILLE -- For the past several years, students new to Ell-Saline Junior-Senior High School have had a "pal," an older student who could help them find their way around, work their lockers and generally navigate the intricacies of the school day.

"We have transitioned the kids from not knowing anything about the school to being familiar," said junior Emily Smith, who's been involved in the Pals organization for several years.

Those involved in working with younger students say they've seen positive benefits.

"I remember my seventh-grade year," said senior Morgan Lindsay. "I was afraid of all the high-schoolers. Now, I see seventh-graders saying 'hi' to the high-school students."

Overall, Smith and Lindsay say, students coming in -- not only seventh-graders, but any new student to the school -- seem to be making a smoother adjustment than in the past.

"It's more of a family out here," Smith said. "There are still some divisions (between older and younger students), but not so much."

To help the older and younger students spend time with each other, the Pals organization, sponsored by teacher Lori Scuitte, hosts regular get-togethers, such as a back-to-school breakfast, and other events about once a month.

That all might have been gone for the 2009-10 school year, as the grant money that had been funding those activities dried up.

At a quiet gathering of the Pals group Thursday afternoon, Scuitte explained the end of the grant and how she approached Smith and Lindsay months ago to see if they had any ideas.

Turns out, they did.

A few months later, Scuitte said, Lindsay suggested to her that they apply for a grant from the Youth GrantMakers Council. The council, an arm of the Greater Salina Community Foundation, not only funds youth programs, but has young people involved in the process of deciding which grant applications are funded.

Lindsay serves on the council and is the only student from Ell-Saline who's involved in the program. Lindsay recruited Smith, who's been involved with Pals since eighth grade, to write the actual grant application.

There's an art to filling out a grant application, Smith soon learned.

"I re-did it several times myself before I took it to Ms. Scuitte," Smith said at the end of Thursday's assembly. At that assembly, Caitlyn Cox, coordinator of the council, presented Lindsay and Smith with a check for $1,000 to keep Pals operating next year.

"It was hard," Smith said of the grant application. "It took a lot of thought -- but then again, it really wasn't hard, because I see what this group does every day."

n Reporter Mike Strand can be reached at 822-1418 or by e-mail at mstrand@salina.com.

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