New Ambassador Program Forges Connections Between Upper and Middle School Students

6/15/2026

Fridays hit a little differently for eighth-graders this past school year, thanks to a new ambassador program that embeds two tenth-grade students in each advisory.

The goal of this initiative is to smooth the transition to Upper School by creating a casual, low-pressure environment in which eighth-graders can connect with students who have recently walked in their shoes.

The straightforward format reserved generally one day a week for the ambassador team to join its eighth-grade advisory, often with a planned game or activity—though sometimes joking around over donuts was the only thing on the agenda.
 

While formal activities like games, presentations on events, and Q&A sessions helped bring the group together, there was equal value in informal chatter about sports, homework, hobbies outside of school, and their shared experiences from Middle School. Zachary Sea, art teacher and advisor, found the program’s relaxed nature to be its greatest benefit. “My advisees really enjoyed having authentic conversations with older students in a casual environment,” he said. “It removed any intimidation factor and gave them a real glimpse into their day-to-day lives.”

Smoothing the Transition

The initiative is having the desired impact, as students and advisors alike report less trepidation about the jump to ninth grade.

For Nolan Sarina ’30, having this ongoing contact with tenth-grade students made the idea of moving into the Upper School feel much less daunting. “One thing I’ve learned from the mentors is even though the Upper School is going to be more difficult than the Middle School, it will not be as bad as I think it will be,” he said. “It’s made me more optimistic for next year.”

“The vibe I’m getting is students are starting to realize that it’s not so scary to be in high school,” added Kirk McAuliffe, music teacher and advisor. Quite the contrary; the Middle School students now know there’s much to look forward to, and the genuine excitement demonstrated by the sophomores has helped bring that into focus.
 

In addition to getting the inside scoop, McAuliffe also points to the longer-term benefits of this initiative: having someone they know in the Upper School. “Having that acknowledgement from an upperclassman to a freshman can go a long way,” he said.

Building Leadership and Friendships

It’s not just the eighth-graders who are benefiting, either. While developing leadership skills is a core focus in the Upper School, such opportunities are somewhat limited for sophomores. Serving as ambassadors, therefore, presents an additional avenue for leadership development. The students selected are required to attend regular meetings with program leaders, run advisory activities, and be truly present for the advisees.  

It also turned out to be a ton of fun.

Grace Gourley ’28 is an ambassador within the Norton Advisory, and as the year went on and the group bonded, she found herself looking forward to Friday mornings with her high-energy group. “I see it as a chance to see friends whom I don’t see as much during the week,” she said. “Fridays are when we reunite!”

Middle School science teacher and advisor Becky Norton happily watched the sophomores gain confidence throughout the year. “When they first started joining us, they would initially look to me, but now I don’t even have to be here,” she said. “I’ve watched things progress to real relationships between the sophomores and the eighth-graders. The ambassadors are part of the group now, which is kind of cool.”

As an ambassador within the Sea Advisory, Brooks Gourley ’28, certainly appreciates the opportunity to add to his leadership experience. What surprised him was how much the advisory came to mean to him personally. “It’s almost like having a bunch of younger siblings,” he said. “We’re really tight now. That’s something I didn’t expect to get out of this—it’s another family of sorts.”

“This is a really good program,” added Norton. “It makes the eighth-graders feel much more connected while also giving them a forward-looking view.”

This story originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of The Bridge - click here to see the digital version.

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