(08/26/2022) Five Anoka-Hennepin middle schools hosted WEB Days this week to help ease the transition for sixth graders making their next step in their academic journey. 

WEB stands for Where Everybody Belongs, which is a national mentoring program that typically works with sixth graders at the school. Each school has teachers who serve as WEB Advisors and eighth graders who volunteer as WEB Leaders. 

Goals for the day were to provide the students with an opportunity to learn more about the school, interact with other sixth graders and make connections with some eighth graders who are willing to help them once the school year begins.

At Roosevelt Middle School (RMS), the day began with the sixth graders either getting dropped off or riding their new bus to the school, where WEB Advisors, WEB Leaders and the school mascot Rocky enthusiastically greeted them. After gathering in the cafeteria, students moved into the gymnasium to participate in large and small group activities.

“I think of myself as a leader, so I thought it would be a fun opportunity to get to know some sixth graders and help guide them through middle school,” said Brekka Snyder, an RMS eighth grader. “I think it’s important that the sixth graders can experience the school not just through adults, but through their peers who have recently lived it and can relate to them.”

Following the time in the gym, the WEB Leaders led students to their homeroom classes for an interactive name game and teamwork activities. The sixth graders had time to ask questions of their WEB leaders, like what the dress code was for students. The students also received a tour of the school, practiced opening their lockers and walked through the lunch time and dismissal processes. View photos from the RMS WEB Day. 

Sixth grader Ellie Tobias thought the WEB Day was important because she will know where to go on the first day of school and she will know some people in her class. 

RMS eighth grader and WEB Leader Mandi Lu moved to the school area as a seventh grader, which became a motivator to become a leader in the school. “I didn’t get the sixth grade experience of someone helping and guiding you through your middle school experience, so I wanted to give others that.”

WEB Leaders are trained by WEB Advisors and school administrators prior to the WEB Day. The schools conduct WEB events throughout the year to create a positive school experience for all students.