“Share Your High School Experience”

A group of 35 Kent County high schoolers collaborated together to create, “Beyond (‘Be On’) Your Mental” (BYM)—a mentoring program for students, led by students.

What if YOU could make the high school experience better for an incoming freshman?

¿Qué pasaría si TÚ pudieras mejorar la experiencia de la escuela secundaria para un estudiante entrante de primer año?

What do incoming freshman need to know to be successful in high school?

¿Qué necesita saber el estudiante entrante de primer año para tener éxito en la escuela secundaria?

          Are you a KCHS Student?       

 
 

(Share your wisdom, insights, and experiences as a BYM Mentor // Comparta su sabiduría, conocimientos y experiencias como Mentor de BYM)

Click the “Apply To Be A Mentor” button // Haga clic en el botón "Solicitar ser mentor"

APPLY TO BE A BYM MENTOR

       Are you an 8th grader at KCMS?    

Click the “Apply To Be A Mentee” button // Haga clic en el botón "Solicitar ser aprendiz"

Sign up as a BYM mentee

WELCOME TO THE BYM PROGRAM FOR THE 2025 - 2026 SCHOOL YEAR

We are excited to announce Mr. Wayne Curtis Jr. as our new BYM Coordinator.

  • About BYM: BYM is an in-school peer mentorship program dedicated to supporting 8th grade students as they transition into high school, while also strengthening the leadership, responsibility, and confidence of KCHS student mentors.

    • Under adult supervision, 8th grade mentees and high school mentors connect during regular 90-minute, in-school mentorship sessions at KCHS during the school year (currently slated for half days during the 2026 Spring Semester)

  • February 10th, 2026: FHG on site at KCHS to promote the BYM Program during lunches

  • February 11th, 2026: Program Kick-Off and Orientation

  • Upcoming Program Dates:

    • March 4th, 2026

    • March 18th, 2026

    • April 2nd, 2026

    • May 13th, 2026

  • Special Out-of-School Programming

    • Dates To Be Announced

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 10th, 2026

 

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ABOUT BYM

A group of 35 Kent County high schoolers collaborated together to create, “Beyond Your Mental”—a double entendre meant to express the importance of maintaining a focus on your mental health (“Be on”, by being aware and able to acknowledge your emotions); as well as the fact that your current mindset (“mental”) doesn’t have to define you! You can go “beyond” your current mentality and create a new and better reality if you are willing to get past a wrong mindset.

MISSION

"Be On Your Mental" (BYM) is a student-designed, cross age mentoring program—funded by the Kent County Local Management Board—targeting KCMS 8th graders and KCHS 9th graders (the mentees) and facilitated by KCHS 11th-12th graders (the mentors).

BYM seeks to help current freshman and rising freshmen (8th graders) have an easier transition from middle school to high school.

PROCESS

"Beyond Your Mental” is the final community project that blossomed out of Findlay House Global's 15-session, learn-by-doing youth leadership academy: Y.O.U.R. Kent County. The academy was funded by the Kent County Local Management Board. After a period focused on exploring how our understanding of power, generational stories, and ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) intersect, Y.O.U.R. Kent County Student Leaders designed a community project that addresses the “mentality” that currently drives and influences behavior among Kent County youth. In January 2024, after another competitive bidding process, Findlay House Global in partnership with Kent County Public Schools was selected to implement the BYM program for the 2023 - 2024, 2024 - 2025, and 2025 - 2026 school years.

FROM IDEA TO ACTION

BYM began in 2022–2023 as a student-designed initiative, and by the second half of 2023–2024 it moved into a student-led soft launch. Twenty (20) Kent County High School students were selected as mentors, shaping session topics, planning activities, and joining the BYM field trip. Mentors then began meeting with groups of freshmen and rising freshmen, providing both large-group and one-to-one support.

In the 2024–2025 school year, 21 students participated in BYM’s first full launch. Open to KCHS students, the program invites mentors to apply by submitting a short (10-minute) application and a video or written response on why they want to serve. BYM has quickly grown into an evidence-based, in-school program that helps students strengthen leadership, confidence, and resilience.