When students teach: Teenagers teach younger kids to pave way as educators

Avouwadan reads the book 'Pete the Cat' to 20-month-old Daniela Trevino at the Play 2 Learn programme at Duluth Middle School. — Photos: JASON GETZ/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

ARIYAH White, three, is excited whenever she goes to school. At Duluth Middle School’s Play 2 Learn, she gets the opportunity to play games, review numbers and letters and become used to being in a classroom with other kids her age.

She spent part of a recent class session matching blocks with their corresponding flat shape. Each time she placed one correctly, eighth grader Jahrian Clyde was there to cheer for her and hand over the next block. To Ariyah, Clyde is a teacher. But as much as she is learning from Clyde, he’s learning from her.