Grinnell Women’s Basketball Team Mentors Grinnell Middle School Students

Middle school can be a fun time — discovering new interests, making new friends, and exploring some newfound independence. But it can also be a challenging period of transition.

With this in mind, Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dana Harrold wondered how her team could support local middle schoolers during this important time in their lives.

“I am always so impressed with the positive and hardworking people within our Women’s Basketball program,” she says. “So, I decided to see if there was a space for us to make a positive impact within the community.”

So, Harrold called the local Grinnell Middle School to see if there was a potential to start something there. When Amy Miller, the social worker at the Grinnell Middle School, got the call, she was excited about what their partnership would become.

“My role is to connect our school with our community,” says Amy Miller, the social worker at Grinnell Middle School. “So, I really appreciated when Dana [Harrold] thought to reach out to the middle school and make this partnership happen.” Miller has been instrumental in numerous collaborations between the College and local Grinnell schools thus far, supporting projects such as the Invisible Closet project, the Middle School Art Club, Girls Who Code, and more. 

The Beginning of a Mentorship Program

Together, Harrold and Miller kicked off the Middle School Mentors Program in the fall of 2022. “When I talked to the middle schoolers about the program, they were a little unsure about it,” Miller admits. “But the college students are great about creating a welcoming environment and easing their nerves. They are pretty good about creating their own conversations and bringing their own activities.”

This year, Harrold’s basketball players have been visiting the 7th and 8th-grade girls during their lunch and recess hours. According to Harrold, the team has been getting to know the middle schoolers, playing games with them, and spending time outdoors in nice weather. Within the past year, the basketball team also brought their middle schoolers Women’s Basketball “swag” and some treats to enjoy for Halloween.

“It’s really important for students to have positive adults in their lives,” says Miller. “We want them to be thinking about their futures, too, so I love that they can get a glimpse at the lives of college students — specifically college athletes — and see if it is something they would like to aspire to. For those who don’t know anyone from their family that has been to college before, they can ask questions and get a better understanding from the team, too, or get some advice.”

For Bailey Strovers ’27, who grew up in Grinnell and is now attending Grinnell College, this was exactly the case. “Growing up in Grinnell, I always looked up to the athletic mentors, so being able to be that mentor now is extremely special,” she shares.

Sara Booher ’25, who has been with the Middle School Mentors program for four years, says that her favorite part of the program is watching her middle schoolers grow to be confident students and young people. As the school year progresses, she notices that her mentees naturally open up. “When we establish this trust, it makes it possible for us to listen to their concerns and provide any advice we can. This is especially great at the end of the school year — when they are transitioning into a new grade or school — and we can share our experiences.”

In their conversations, the team and the middle schoolers often talk about their interests and hobbies with one another, as well as their experiences of being a student in their respective schools. This past week, for example, the college students shared events happening on campus, debriefed their finals week, and spoke of preparing to go home for winter break. As a parting gift for the holidays, the college basketball players brought over a gift basket of goodies and treats for their mentees.

“Our relationship with the middle schoolers continues to develop the more we’ve seen them, as you would expect in any relationship,” says Strovers. “It has been special sharing time and experiences with them.”

Both Harrold and Miller are excited to see these positive, supportive relationships evolve as they look to expand the program. So far, Harrold has invited the middle schoolers to Women’s Basketball games, but she hopes to develop a system to stay connected with the middle schoolers throughout their high school years.

“Our women’s basketball players are very giving people,” Harrold says, “and we thoroughly enjoy our time with the Grinnell Middle School students. We love fostering these positive relationships and hope that they know they always have someone to count on in our players.”