January 28, 2025

The HESS FAMILY FOUNDATION Provides Funding to Continue Mentoring Program 

WHEELING, W.Va., January 28 – The HESS FAMILY FOUNDATION has awarded Wheeling University more than $10,000 to continue a mentoring program that enriches learning for seventh grade students from Wheeling Middle School (WMS).

The Help Enrich Someone Special (H.E.S.S.) program was restarted three years ago thanks to a grant from the HESS FAMILY FOUNDATION. Throughout the 10-week program which begins in February, the Wheeling Middle School students will come to the Wheeling University campus where the university students serve as mentors – guiding the seventh graders through fun, educational activities in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) each week.

Wheeling University President, Dianna Vargo, Ed.D. said the University was able to restart the program and continue offering it thanks to funding provided by the Hess Family. Since its restart in 2022, Vargo, along with faculty and students from the Education Program have organized the program.

“We are grateful to the HESS FAMILY FOUNDATION for supporting the continuation of this valuable educational program that aligns with the mission of Wheeling University – to educate students for life, leadership, and service,” Vargo noted. This year, she said, the Foundation awarded Wheeling $10,038 to fund H.E.S.S.

The H.E.S.S. Program provides Wheeling University education majors with the opportunity to engage with middle school students in an informal setting. This gives the Wheeling University students a foundation that fosters communication and an understanding of student needs and recognition of student strengths, the president explained.

Additionally, “H.E.S.S. enhances critical thinking skills for the students from Wheeling Middle School by providing them with the opportunity to participate in STEAM education. The students work collaboratively with their peers and University mentors to solve problems creatively. By bringing the Wheeling Middle School students to the University they are given the opportunity to experience a college campus,” Vargo said.

Each Wednesday, a different education session is offered to teach STEAM, and Vargo enlists the help of University and community partners to provide activities for the middle school students. Those partners include, the University’s Challenger Learning Center, academic programs and Athletic teams, along with The SMART Center of Wheeling.

During the 10-week program, the students are bused to campus where they are met by their Wheeling University student mentors. The WMS students take time to reflect on the prior week’s activities in their journals. With the assistance of the Wheeling University mentors and staff, the WMS student also do fun, team building activities, and eat dinner in the Benedum Room before taking part the week’s STEAM activity.