At Tualatin High School, there are numerous students involved in an after-school mentorship program and class with 8th graders called Intercambio, which meets once a week for two hours. At Intercambio, the students help out their younger peers with homework while also building community. The middle schoolers get to talk to older students and those they have not conversed with before. Most of the senior mentors have been in Intercambio for two years now, and it is their final year being a mentor. 

Senior Joyse Gomez-Cortez feels good about her years spent in  Intercambio. 

“So far I feel really good, actually,” she said. “I feel like I really made an impact on Intercambio, also my mentee, and also I feel very confident with my junior classmates going and being the senior mentors for next year.” 

Gomez-Cortez hopes her time in Intercambio will have a lasting effect on her peers. 

“Something I want to leave behind is a positive attitude because you can never go wrong with a positive attitude.” 

A positive attitude is definitely something that is required for Intercambio mentors to hype up the younger students. 

Senior Jaden Carbajal is another mentor who is wrapping up her time with Intercambio.

“Seeing the growth of my fellow mentors and mentees makes me feel like I am being a good leader and mentor,” she said. “Their growth pushes me to do better for myself and others.” 

Intercambio has changed her, she said. 

“It has encouraged me to have more self advocacy and also step up for others. I have also developed better people skills.” 

The seniors approach the end of their time with Intercambio with pride, along with sadness.

“I am sad because I love being part of the program, but I trust that the next year mentors will do a great job,” Carbajal said. “They are great mentors and people themselves, and I know they will help the program develop even more. I hope to stay in contact with all of the mentors.” 

All of the Intercambio senior mentors said they would be sad to leave, but they all seem to have one thing in common: confidence in the people they are leaving behind. They are all confident their peers will become the best mentors they can be for the younger students they are helping.