With the beginning of a new school year, comes a new wave of incoming sophomores. For many, it’s a tough transition from junior high to high school. A program that helps with this transition is called SSP (senior-sophomore program). Throughout the end of the year of last year, SSP advisers teachers Tammy Hilliard, John See, Julie Wright, and Diane Buchi picked 18 senior mentors to lead the program.

“SSP finds home for sophomores,” principal Thomas Lietz said. “It pays great dividends, and majority of kids find value in it.”

These senior mentors help the sophomores get adjusted to high school life by playing games and socializing with them during their lunch. SSP is held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.

“It eases the transition from junior high to high school,” teacher Tammy Hilliard said. “It’s a great program for the sophomores.”

Not only does this program help sophomores, it helps the SSP mentors as well.

“SSP is very essential to me,” senior Mackenzie Malone said. “I really like the fact that I can help them love Utica as much as I do.”