Peer advocates to serve as friendly face for all students

Thirteen students have been chosen to serve as peer advocates for the 2017-18 school year at LSMSA.

“A peer advocate is a student chosen to help other students in the LSMSA community and to foster a sense of acceptance and inclusion on our campus,” said Kim Cain, personal counselor. “Peer advocates are friends, activists, role models and team members.”

According to Cain, they are not peer counselors but serve as listeners and are in a position to guide students to people who may help with more serious issues.

Their roles include being a friendly face to all students, helping to make campus welcoming, organizing wellness programming and helping their peers find appropriate adult resources on campus.

“This is our first year of the program, and we are hoping to grow and expand over the next few years,” said Cain.

Peer advocates include Caroline Adkins, a junior from Shreveport, Kathy Barrios, a senior from Houma; Jada Boyd, a junior from Thibodaux; Jacob Burton, a senior from Houma; Raegan Craig, a senior from DeRidder; Kerry Doyle, a senior from Eros; Shemya Mozeke, a senior from Homer; Alena Noakes, a senior from Dry Prong; Jessenia Ortiz, a senior from Oberlin; Adreanna Queen, a senior from Natchitoches; Hannah Rice, a senior from Mandeville; Jaci Templet, a senior from Gonzales; and Christopher Tonnies, a junior from Bossier City.