Though only a 15-mile drive from NASH, Grandview Elementary School in the Pittsburgh Public School District feels like a world away from North Allegheny.

This past Wednesday, 16 NASH students made the journey to Grandview to help mentor a class of third graders. The activities were life-altering for the NASH and Grandview students, who rarely receive such opportunities.

This year’s trip was the first one to Grandview after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19. During the mentoring session, Grandview students received help with math and English, while getting many once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as getting their own personal stuffed orange tiger. 

The Grandview mentoring program was founded in 2013 by NA alum Bret Serbin to raise awareness of food insecurity and help students in need. At Grandview, all students qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision program, which grants the students free breakfast and lunches. At North Allegheny, by contrast, 5.9% of the student body qualifies for reduced lunches. 

For ten years, the program has enriched the lives of both NASH and Grandview students. 

NASH GOAL teacher and Interact sponsor Mrs. Janellen Lombardi reflected on how the program was founded.

“My sister teaches at Pittsburgh Grandview PreK-5, and she agreed that a partnership between our schools could be mutually beneficial,” Lombardi said.

Both NA and Grandview have grown and learned from each other over the years. But the experience has become even more necessary and impactful after the pandemic. 

“They [NA students] have come to see the inequities that exist in education,” Lombardi added. 

With the shift to online learning during the pandemic, the majority of Grandview’s third graders are now experiencing a massive gap in their education due to a lack of technological resources — a disparity North Allegheny did not experience. 

Due to NA’s influence, Grandview has been able to receive much-needed resources. 

“They’ve used their agency to win grants for Grandview, run fundraisers, add books to their library and classrooms, provide educational supplies, take field trips, and even plant flowers and a garden at their school,” Lombardi explained.

Wednesday’s session enriched both NA and Grandview’s class of 2032. NA students mentored the kids in reading and algebra, but the activities were not solely academic, as Lombardi’s students donated to each Grandview student their own personal stuffable tiger. Plus, the students were able to take home new copies of EllRay Jakes, an age-appropriate book series.

NASH Interact Vice-President Ava Eichelberger, who performed outreach services for Grandview during the years when the field trip was not permitted, reflected on her early work with the third grade students.

“I took part in the pen pal letter program as a sophomore,” Eichelberger said. “I wanted to make learning fun for them.”

With the removal of COVID restrictions, Lombardi was ecstatic to get back to hands-on mentoring. For the 16 NASH participants, the trip was a highlight of the year thus far.

Sophie Kollitz, a NASH senior, saw the change in her student’s’ confidence firsthand.

“I think it showed him that he is very special, and the math activity we did made him excited to learn,” she said.

Even though the NASH participants felt nervous when entering the third grade classroom on Wednesday, that afternoon they left with a smile. 

“[My student’s] face lit up with joy when we said that they were going to be able to take the tigers home,” Eichelberger said. 

While the day was altogether joyous, it was impossible for the NA students to not notice the drastic disparities and struggles at Grandview. 

“There was only one small wall that had books on it, compared to the thousands of books NASH has,” Kollitz said. 

The city school’s lack of resources makes it even more difficult for students to succeed, making it all the more moving for the NASH students to see every kid grow ecstatic to receive their own book. 

“All of the kids have had such a rough beginning to elementary school, as they missed out on some of the vital parts of their educational journey,” Eichelberger said. 

The trip ended with a walk to Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington overlook, with students reminiscing about their day.  When the group returned to the classroom, the hardest part of the day ensued— saying goodbye. 

“The kids were really playful, and we got to bond over carrying our buddies on our backs,” Interact President Sophie Azar said.

Though it began as a traditional outreach program, the NA-Grandview partnership is now focused on helping young students recover from a disastrous pandemic that stripped so many of them of their right to learn. 

“835,” said Lombardi, referencing the number of NA and Grandview students whose lives have been positively impacted by the program.