Senior and kindergarten Alpha and Omega buddies gathered in the PAC lobby for a morning of reading Pete the Cat books together and enjoying snacks. The seniors settled in with their kindergarten buddies, reading the beloved children’s stories aloud while the younger students listened intently. Laughter and conversation filled the room as the pairs bonded over the colorful adventures of Pete the Cat. After finishing their reading time, kindergartners took their books home as keepsakes from their special friendship with their senior buddies. The morning combined literacy, mentorship, and meaningful connection as students spent quality time together.
Alpha and Omega, one of JA’s most beloved traditions, pairs seniors and kindergarteners throughout the year. The program creates meaningful connections between JA’s oldest and youngest students through regular activities and shared experiences. Seniors and kindergarten students meet in the fall at Crazy Sock Day, finding their buddy by searching for someone wearing matching socks. Throughout the year, Alpha and Omega buddies learn about one another, make art together, trick or treat at campus offices, walk together in a parade before the seniors’ last chapel, and enjoy other activities.
The program builds confidence and leadership skills while fostering mentoring relationships between students at different stages of their educational journeys. For kindergartners, having a senior buddy provides self-confidence and creates lasting memories. For seniors, the program offers an opportunity to serve as mentors and reflect on their own growth since elementary school. Some buddies keep in touch throughout adulthood, with former buddies reconnecting years later.
The Alpha and Omega program embodies Jackson Academy’s commitment to character development and community building across grade levels. These intergenerational friendships demonstrate that meaningful relationships can form between students at very different stages of their educational experience, creating bonds that often last beyond graduation.
