Not all superheroes wear capes. At Pembroke Elementary School, superheroes are found walking the halls daily. They are the administrators, teachers, custodians and other support staff who make up The Squad of Superheroes (SOS) Mentoring Program.

It’s not flying through the air, super speed or even the ability to see through walls that makes these superheroes shine.

It’s their ability to care.

Just ask Pembroke fourth-grader Naquai Baez what he thinks of his superhero, Debbie Gearhart.

“We take pictures, do work together and a lot of other fun things,” Baez said. “She is fun to talk to.”

The program, in its second year, seeks to let children know there is another person in the building that cares about them and wants to ensure their success. Each year, more than two dozen students take part in the program.

The superheroes can be easily spotted around the school in their special t-shirts, which were purchased with funds donated by Parents in Education.

The students are told how their mentors are selected. The students may need a boost in an area or may just need someone to talk to. For example, a student struggling in math is paired with someone on the staff that is strong in that area. A student having some behavior problems might be assigned to someone who will help the student developing coping mechanisms that inspire them to make positive changes.

“Sometimes the students don’t open up to us when we first start spending time together, said Dr. Linda Hayes, principal at Pembroke. “When I had lunch with my mentee, the first time she asked if she could invite a few friends. I agreed and after that she started to get more comfortable talking to me.”

For the mentors, the work all comes down to making connections with their mentee.

“Mentors are expected to make contact with their students and their family, build a rapport and touch base with their mentee at least twice a week,” said Diana Brown, assistant principal at Pembroke and founder of SOS. “It’s not about giving gifts to the students, it’s about letting them to know there is a person assigned to them to be that extra set of ears and additional support for them.”

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