One of the hardest things in the recruitment process is telling students they were not selected. Here’s how Belen “Bubba” Garcia, PAL Advisor at Patrick Henry Elementary School, Anaheim City School District and co-author of the PAL Elementary Curriculum has dealt with this difficult task.
“My secret is….is that they are all pals! Back in the old days of the 1990s, I would just grin and bear it and tell a kid sorry, but there just isn't enough room for everyone. I hated that feeling, so I decided to come up with different groups that could fit under the umbrella of PAL. When a student asks me if they can be a PAL, I tell them they already are a pal and it’s just a matter of time when they can be part of the big group. Some of the many activities that fit under the umbrella of PAL at our school are Library Assistants, PAL Court (conflict resolution), Cross-age Tutoring, and the Green Team (campus cleanup). All students meet weekly and receive training in their specific project and in the PAL curriculum."
