Natural Helpers adviser Andrew Carlson said interviews this year were successful. He said of the 40 students interviewed, 20 students were chosen to join Natural Helpers.

“I don’t think there was one kid who came into an interview where we said no, they wouldn’t do a good job,” Carlson said. “Literally, every single kid that we interviewed had something to offer and something we thought they could bring to Natural Helpers.”

Senior Natural Helpers leader Kamia Guy said since Natural Helpers likes to consider themselves a family, they choose applicants based on what that person brings to the group.

“We’ll ask a personal question like what experience or events have happened that you think you can help somebody else with,” Guy said.

According to Carlson, fewer freshmen have joined Natural Helpers the last two years. Carlson said although the group’s freshmen are mature, some students join in later grades.

“I think you kind of have to have a year or so under your belt within the high school to understand outside of the classroom how you’re going to operate academically and time manage and things like that,” Carlson said. “Next year when we interview again, when they’re sophomores, we have a better idea of the students that we’re getting.”

Carlson said the new members joining Natural Helpers have made the transition really smooth.

“I know some of the new freshmen who come in really not knowing what to expect, but we have such a great group of upperclassmen that just pull them in and really include them without even second guessing it that I feel like it’s gone really well,” Carlson said.

Carlson said within the next couple of weeks he hopes to create ID badges for Natural Helpers members to wear throughout the school.

“Once they get those badges that’ll allow our NH to have a little bit more access to the media center, which is where we’ll be housed for meetings with students,” Carlson said.

According to Carlson, Natural Helpers can now begin meeting with students.

“We’ve had a couple (students) already before we had our training that met with students who were with the group previously last year,” Carlson said. “Now that we’ve gone through the training, we’re not waiting. Students can meet ASAP, right now.”

Students can contact Carlson or a Natural Helpers member to meet with a Natural Helper.