PantherStrong is a program that Powell High School runs to foster a sense of community among the grade levels. It consists of two to three upperclassmen filling a mentor position with the underclassmen.
To prepare ambassadors for a year of PantherStrong, PHS brings in a trainer to teach all the key aspects of the program face-to-face.
“CharacterStrong is a plan for building life’s most valuable skills; it’s like having a coach, but the coach trains you in being a good friend,” CharacterStrong speaker Esteban Gast said. “To me, as someone who has been lucky enough to think through some of the curriculum and videos, it’s a creative experiment to take really big, deep things (kindness! Patience! Being a good listener!) and break them down in ways that all of us can grow in them.”
The purpose of this program is multi-layered; it aims to help everyone involved: students, ambassadors, and teachers alike.
“Our PantherStrong Ambassador program is all about connection and leadership,” guidance counselor Mrs. Kara Miller said. “It helps new and younger students feel supported and hopefully welcomed, while giving our mentors the chance to grow as leaders. What I love is how it builds a culture where students lift each other up—and in the process, we’re shaping the next generation of leaders at PHS.”
The junior and senior ambassadors are selected based on their leadership skills, involvement in the school, and their integrity. This year, there are 42 ambassadors, eighteen of whom were assigned to sophomore groups.
“We look for students who demonstrate commitment, leadership, and integrity,” guidance counselor Mrs. Jenna Carter said. “We look for students who have a desire to help others and be make a positive impact at PHS.”
Even with the leadership experience ambassadors have, these new situations can be nerve-racking.
“At first, I was very scared they knew what was going on, so that was a plus,” junior Taylor Iverson said. “They also probably didn’t want an ambassador anymore, and they probably wanted their own freedom, so I was worried I wasn’t going to get any participation, and sophomores are a little meaner than freshmen.
With weekly practice teaching and hanging out with their classes, the skills ambassadors have are getting better by the day.
“One of my favorite parts of PantherStrong is seeing Ambassadors shine and utilize their leadership skills,” Mrs. Miller said. “I also really love to see the connections that grow between Ambassadors and the students in their Panther Strong groups.
PantherStrong was added to PHS in 2022. The program is constantly changing to make sure it hosts the most benefits it can for students and ambassadors
“[PantherStrong gives] an opportunity for freshmen to connect with seasoned veterans of PHS to help navigate the new students to the new school,” guidance counselor Mr. Trevor Lee said. “New schools can present new issues for new students, but having someone to help show the newbies the ropes helps alleviate some of that anxiety for the new students.”
Students have always had polarizing opinions on the usefulness of CharacterStrong; the new improvements always skew people’s prior thoughts.
“They help a lot around the school,” sophomore Calise Velasco said. “Sophomores [are benefited by] getting help that they need.”
With the counselors choosing to update PantherStrong, it prompts ambassadors to think about what they would like to change.
“I would just like PantherStrong to be more interactive and ask better questions,” senior Phu Nguyen said. “Sometimes the questions that they ask are a little difficult to answer, and the teacher usually has to answer them first.”
The PantherStrong ambassadors are there to be role models, but it is up to the sophomores whether they will comply with the class or ignore the lessons.
“Well, my ambassadors are very strict,” sophomore Jersey Germann said. “But my class doesn’t listen.”
Participation can make or break the lesson. From what you learn in the conversations you have, if you choose not to participate, the class may seem useless.
“Everyone eventually gets to the realization that life is only as meaningful as what you put into it,” Gast said. “And I think sharing that with high schoolers is actually one of the best things we can do.”
It is important to consider how the ambassadors and PantherStrong program will influence teenage views on these lessons and topics now and in the future.
“They’re all right,” Germann said. “They’re just there to help guide the lessons for the teacher.”
When taking a look at it from an adult perspective, you tend to find the good aspects of PantherStrong easier.
“As counselors, we believe that no one is done growing and learning about themselves,” Mrs. Carter said. ”Panther Strong is a great opportunity for personal growth, along with growing relationships with peers.”
With the lessons coming from a fellow student, it makes it a lot easier to understand, but it’s up to the students whether they will use what they learn.
“Sophomores aren’t really careful listeners,” Germann said. “I think we may irritate them.”
With how difficult high school can be, these built-in support systems help students even in ways they don’t notice.
“For me it’s not necessarily about the CharacterStrong lessons,” Mrs. Miller said. “The opportunity to stop and ensure we have time to see value in the teachable human skills, grow ourselves and become better humans and provide time and space in our day to be intentional in connection, wellbeing, and becoming leaders of all types.”
PHS ambassadors and students can decide for themselves what Panther Strong really means to them through the course of this year and times to come. Whether this change will be a benefit, a downside, or even a median, hopefully, good will come from this big change.
