Spectrum Guardians

www.spectrumguardians.com

Spectrum Guardians is a student-led nonprofit I founded to bridge the gap between high school volunteers and children on the autism spectrum (ASD) through peer mentoring, academic support, and social-skill development.
The program focuses on building real human connection — helping mentors learn empathy, and helping mentees gain confidence through consistent, friendly interactions. For more info www.spectrumguardians.com

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Founder & Visionary

Created Spectrum Guardians to build structured peer connections between high school mentors and neurodiverse students — turning empathy into an organized movement for inclusion.

Building the Network

Partnered with local elementary schools and community centers to identify students who would benefit from one-on-one or small-group mentoring. Collaborated closely with teachers and counselors to ensure each match supported real social and emotional growth.

Designing the Framework

Developed a scalable volunteer structure using Google Forms and Airtable, enabling mentor onboarding, SSL hour tracking, and progress monitoring — creating a model that’s both measurable and sustainable.

Program Highlights & Accomplishments

Scale: Over 40 active mentors and 30+ mentees across multiple MCPS schools.

Impact Hours: Logged 300+ SSL hours of community engagement in less than one academic year.

Growth: Expanded from a pilot at one school to interest across multiple middle schools in Montgomery County.

Recognition: Featured in school leadership newsletters; praised by counselors for measurable student confidence improvements.

Training: Designed 3-tier volunteer curriculum covering communication, patience, and ASD awareness.

Events: Organized “Spectrum Awareness Week” — interactive assemblies and poster campaigns on empathy and inclusion.

Vision Ahead

Expanding Spectrum Guardians into a county-wide peer inclusion program with structured training, school counselor collaboration, and a digital platform to match volunteers and mentees based on shared interests and needs.

Mentor & Parent Feedback

“My son found a friend who really understood him — this program gave him something to look forward to each week.”
– Parent, Clarksburg Elementary
“I learned how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.”
– High School Mentor, Spectrum Guardians

Ongoing Journey

June 2025 — Summer Pilot Results

Before Spectrum Guardians could even begin, I had to convince my principal that high school students could handle mentoring responsibilities seriously. Many doubted that teenagers would stay committed, so I started with just five volunteers — all of whom went through training to prepare for tough situations. That early group proved what empathy and preparation could achieve. Their success opened the doors for the entire program.

September 2025 — School Counselor Collaboration

Met with two school counselors to align Spectrum Guardians with existing social-emotional learning programs. Together, we planned reflection journals for mentors to capture how empathy and patience evolve through every session.

October 2025 — Volunteer Expansion

We trained 12 new mentors and launched our first “Buddy Lunch” sessions across two schools. Watching students laugh, connect, and support each other reminded me why this project mattered — the confidence and kindness spreading on both sides were real.

November 2025 — Expanding Elementary Schools Outreach

Following the success of our pilot, I began reaching out to additional elementary schools across Montgomery County to grow the program. Presenting to new principals and teachers wasn’t easy — I had to demonstrate that high school students could handle this responsibility with maturity and care. With help from five trained mentors, we showcased real stories and results from our first year, which convinced several schools to join the initiative for 2026.

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