Lee student begins service club focused on mentoring high schoolers
All photos by Taylor Baker.
Lifeline, a new service club at Lee, has begun meeting this semester. Founded by sophomore pastoral ministry major Lexie Dehart, its mission is to mentor girls as they navigate high school.
The club was inspired by another service club on campus, Life 423, that mentors middle school girls. Dehart remembers searching the booths at Club Lee for clubs focused on high school students and finding nothing. Her passion to make high school girls know they matter and have someone coach them through their challenges drove her to start this service organization.
“[Lifeline is] a community and a place where they can connect to older girls … who know what they are going through and give them a place to talk about things,” Dehart said.
The heart of this initiative is for young women to know they have someone to rely on and talk to about anything. The club consists of a small group each week and also has a mentoring program called LifeSisters. In LifeSisters, the high schoolers are paired with college students who become their mentors and friends
“The idea for LifeSisters is that the girls have one specific person that they can talk to about anything,” Dehart said. “The college girl intentionally seeks out [a friendship with] the high schooler and tries to make them feel comfortable.”
One of Lifeline’s long-term goals is “to ultimately change the culture of high school.” The club is also open to partnering with Life 423 so middle schoolers and high schoolers can help mentor each other.
As the club continues to grow this semester, Lifeline has experienced challenges in getting club information out to prospective participants at other high schools. Currently the club meets on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Walker Valley High School, but is eager to expand.
Annie Youther, a sophomore journalism major, said the topic of religion within the club’s discussion creates a challenge in promoting Lifeline to other high schools.
“It is a high school club and it borders on religion which is a touchy topic in high schools,” Youther said.
Lifeline uses various forms of social media as a current marketing strategy, and has advertised on the high school’s TV screens, their own Instagram page and word of mouth.
Lifeline believes young girls need someone to believe in them and stand by them. The club is open to anyone interested in becoming a mentor. For more information on how to get involved, contact adehart00@leeu.edu or visit the club’s Instagram page, @wvhslifeline.
