Peer Support held its first and second meetings of the school year on Oct. 7 and Oct. 14 . Peer Support is a student-led on-campus program designed to provide Upper School students with a safe space to connect with one another.

Leader Jack Letterman ’25 said leaders came together before Peer Support’s first few meetings to discuss the rules, which are a crucial aspect of the program.

“The first couple of meetings are arguably some of the most important because you’re dealing with a new group,” Letterman said. “In preparation, we heavily stress the rules. We need to get those down and we need to get those across because it sets the precedent for the year.”

Trainee Sophia Wiczyk ’26 said the first few meetings helped students fall back into the routine of Peer Support.

“The first one was just getting to know our group,” Wiczyk said. “The second one we got to do more of the traditional [Peer Support] activities, which definitely helped people, especially the sophomores who had never done it become more familiar with it.”

Isla Saperstein ’27 said she found the meetings more lively than expected.

“I think they were really fun and I was happy that there was so much energy within the groups,” Saperstein said.

Wiczyk said joining Peer Support last school year helped her comfortably open up to others, inspiring her to become a trainee this year.

“Peer support helped me talk in a safe space where I knew that nobody was going to judge me, everyone was going to support me, and I knew that what I said wasn’t going to be repeated to everyone I know,” Wiczyk said.

Letterman said he decided to become a Peer Support leader this year because of the leaders he had as a sophomore.

“My leaders in my sophomore Peer Support group, [Max Thompson ’23] and [Harry Tarses ’23], were seniors when I was a sophomore and they were just the best,” Letterman said. “They changed my whole outlook on Harvard-Westlake and how to deal with your emotions and to be aware of other people. They were a really big part of my maturing process throughout high school. So I just hope that I get to give it back, just like they did to me. That was my inspiration.”

Peer Support will continue to hold meetings every Monday from 5:45-7:15 p.m. .