Saw Mill Road Elementary School sixth graders will be ready to ace middle school, thanks to the advice and guidance from their older peers.  

About two dozen students from Mepham High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District visited Saw Mill Road on Jan. 27, the second of three visits through the ACES program – Athletes Compassionately Educating Students. High school athlete leaders are also visiting other North Bellmore elementary schools.  

The topic for the recent rendezvous was civility and sportsmanship. Each sixth grade classroom was visited by a group of high school students, who discussed those two concepts and how students should react in different situations. They presented different scenarios, which led to discussions about treating others with kindness and respect in the classroom, at lunch and recess, and on the field.  

The hour-long program also included several team-building games. In one activity, sixth graders stood in a circle and grabbed hands with someone who wasn’t next to them. They then had to work together to rearrange the circle while keeping their hands connected.  

High school students from ACES will visit again in the spring with a focus on staying drug and alcohol free. The goal of the program is to set students up for success in middle school by forming connections with older peers who have achieved success and are solid role models.  

Click here to view the Mepham Leaders Impart Knowledge at Saw Mill slideshow.

Date Added: 1/30/2026