MARSING, Idaho — Two Northwest Nazarene University students turned a class project into a meaningful program that's making a difference for middle school students in a small Idaho town.
Emily Loucks and Jocelyn Ariola created the Middle School Life Skills Group at Marsing Middle School after their professor challenged them to form a group and select their own research topic.
"There's nowhere for kids to go besides school and home," said Loucks, who teaches at Marsing Middle School while attending NNU. "With school being such a safe space for the kids, I figured having an extra hour would be beneficial for the kids to just be kids."
For Loucks and Ariola, forming a program to help Marsing students was an easy choice after Loucks noticed the challenges students faced while teaching at the school.
"They don't have mentorship. A lot of people learn about life skills like how to cook, how to trust somebody, or telling the truth from their parents. And if your parents have to work and you have siblings, there's not time to learn those things—you never learn them," said Loucks.
"Middle school is a hard time for anyone. It's where you are starting to hit puberty, starting to learn about who you are and what you want to do," said Ariola.
Since November, the Middle School Life Skills Group has met biweekly, with 10 to 15 students gathering at the campus hub for hands-on activities, class discussions on emotions, and listening to guest speakers who share their personal journeys.
"The types of topics covered were emotional regulation and coping skills. I think the most important part is that she is incorporating all of these lessons in a way that feels more like we're hanging out instead of formal learning," explained Ariola.
The program aims to tackle issues students may experience now and in the years to come, but one unexpected outcome was the level of community engagement in Marsing.
"People that I never met, never talked to, they come and bring dinner—full meals for these kids. It's cool to see how impactful spaghetti could be," said Loucks.
The students' kindness toward one another has been another rewarding aspect of the program.
"And they understand that 'oh, there are people that love me. I am a loved individual. I am worth more. I can do more. I can be whatever I want to be,'" said Loucks.
Data collected for their class project shows 90% of students report learning new coping strategies, while 85% report increased confidence. Trust in adult relationships and communication improved across the board.
"I do feel very blessed that Northwest Nazarene University gives us this opportunity. I'll be honest, I was like, 'Ah, we have to do a whole group project and all this stuff,' and now being on the other side, it's such an invaluable experience," said Ariola.
For Loucks, who was raised in Marsing and now teaches there, the program holds special significance.
"Being able to be in a position to give back has meant everything to me," said Loucks.
