SHOP students interested in 'Helping Other People'

SHOP is a peer helping/counseling class offered by both West Valley and Anderson high schools. West Valley has had this program for seven years and Counselor Tom Pasquini is teaching the class now, while Anderson is going into its second year with the help of teacher Jeff Osborn who said he would teach the class when Pasquini could not teach at both campuses like he did last year.

The SHOP class consists of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, who do presentations for the students of the 8th grade classes at the different feeder schools, the freshman in the Personal Growth classes, and the World History classes for the sophomores. These presentations will help the SHOP students build their confidence in their ability to speak publicly and also introduce them to students who may need to come to them at some point.

"Students are powerful people and can help other people," said Pasquini. "Most of the kids in this class haven't had an easy life, but want to help others and it makes them feel good about themselves."

The students in SHOP never give advice; instead they are a neutral party who listens to their peer as they share their feelings over an incident that is bothering them. The peer counselor will give them options or constructive ways to handle the situation, so that the student they are helping can pick the solution that is best for them.

"Last year I saw a presentation (given) to the sophomores about communicating and helping people. I wanted to be able to give people better advice, but found out it was more about guidance, which is better than giving someone advice," said AUHS junior Serria Davis.

"I like doing community service and saw this as another opportunity to help people. There are people in my life who don't understand why I like volunteering because they don't see what I get out of it," said AUHS sophomore Michelle Line. "I try to explain it to them, but if I'm not receiving money or something, it doesn't seem worth it to them."

Many of the students who enter the class have the desire to help the people around them struggling in some area of their life.

"Everyone has problems and people higher up in the clique don't talk, so it helps that I'm a jock and can help them when they need it," said Zach Schali, a junior at West Valley.

The students feel giving of themselves is very important because people do not always express themselves when they are upset, and this class teaches them to recognize when someone is upset and know what to say when they finally open up.

"I took SHOP because I want to help people so they know there is someone who cares. When I was younger, I didn't have many people looking out for me," said WVHS junior Robert Burroughs.

"I have been through a lot of different things in my life, so I can relate with a lot of different people. I have a lot of compassion for people," said WVHS senior Kelsey Harp.

This class teaches the value of communicating effectively and listening to others, which many will be able to use in careers they would like to pursue.

"You need communication for anything you do because it helps break down barriers with people," said WVHS student Jordan Knight.

"I want to be an artist someday and I need to know what people want when they commission me, I need to be able to understand what they want, if I'm going to make it," said AUHS junior Jesse Jentzen.