Being an RMHS Peer takes more work than people usually understand. Aside from the grueling dance practices for the back to school assembly and the fun retreat the Peers take to kick off the school year, there are a number of important trainings they need to attend to become educated on tough topics and issues that might arise when “peering” other students.
SART Training:
The SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) training is an all day training that covers many things, including the Pyramid of Violence, power and control, the differences between sexual assault and sexual harassment, how to give the SART presentation to classes, and other things. SART is taught by Miranda Bateman, a representative from SAVA (Sexual Assault Advocacy Center).
The Peers will present the SART presentation to Lobo 101 classes, a modified version to some middle schools, and a modified version to the seniors at RMHS. When the Peers present the information they’ve learned from the training to others, a representative from SAVA is there to not only support the Peers, but to support people that may find the content to be disturbing or difficult to get through.
Time to Talk:
The Time to Talk presentation is a half-day training and it covers similar content to SART. However, this training focuses on teen dating violence. The training takes place at the Crossroads Safehouse in Fort Collins. The Safehouse provides a number of things like advocacy, rapid safehousing, and legal assistance for victims of domestic violence.
Time to Talk is presented to just Lobo 101 classes. Just like the SART presentation, a representative from Crossroads will be in the room to support the Peers and the students receiving the presentation. The presentation covers red flags in dating, kinds of abuse, and other things centered around building healthy relationships.
QPR:
QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training is an in class training focusing on suicide prevention. This presentation is part of the Protect the Pack presentation given to Lobo 101 classes at Rocky. The training addresses a lot of myths regarding suicide, especially with teens. One of the big myths that gets busted is: “Never ask someone if they are thinking about killing themselves, that will just put the idea in their head.” This isn’t true, and, in fact, it usually makes it easier because the person you are worried about may feel a weight lifted off of their shoulders because they didn’t have to say it.
Peer Summit:
The Peer Summit is one giant training collaboration with other Peers from Fort Collins, Poudre, Fossil Ridge, Timnath, and Wellington. It is an all day training and mainly consists of team building exercises, leadership ideas, and other things to push the peers out of their comfort zone. It’s a great way to share ideas and listen to others from different schools around the city; while it can be a little overwhelming at first, it always ends up being an amazing time with a lot of learning, growth, and stronger bonds formed.
TED Talks:
TED Talks are a huge part of the Peer class. This is a chance for the 1st years to bond and deepen their connections with one another. Often times, some of the 2nd years will come back to present their TED Talks to the group as well. TED Talks are presentations that are about anything the presenter wants. They can be serious, goofy, or a mix of both. Some TED Talk topics have been ADHD, Ted Lasso, The Power of Laughter, Music, and many more. The most common TED Talk, however, is the signature “Favorite Thing(s)” presentation.
Peer Projects:
The Peer projects are essential for 1st years to fully understand what being a Peer means to the Rocky and Fort Collins community. This is a chance for the Peers to give back and make a difference. Some of the Peer projects that are reoccurring are Sexual Assault Awareness Month and raising awareness for that, Wish Week and No Shave November committee to help raise money for our community, and the Peer Weenie Roast, where hot dogs are sold at the Red Rox student area for $1 to also raise money for the community. The Peers also have the option of creating their own Peer Project, which is anything that they believe will benefit Rocky and Fort Collins.
The Peer class is full of growth and learning. While sometimes the content can be heavy, the class makes sure to encourage Peers to lean on each other and form strong connections. With this group, no challenge is too daunting.
Interested:
If you are interested in being a Peer, the application drops in April. The process starts with a written application and then a group interview and finally an individual interview. Peers are always looking for students who represent the Lobo way to the fullest extent. Peers are willing to put themselves out there and talk about difficult things. Above all else, Peers are kind and want to leave a lasting positive impression on everyone they meet.
