Baby blue T-shirts filled the halls of Cypress Ranch High School once a month, each one embroidered with the words “Pony Up Mentors.” These students are not just wearing a color; they are carrying a tradition. The Pony Up program is a beloved Mustang custom where juniors and seniors volunteer their time to guide freshmen through their first year of high school. Once a month, mentors and mentees gather for meetings designed to help new Mustangs feel at home, plan for the future and celebrate their school spirit.
For many ninth graders, these monthly sessions are more than just check-ins, they are lifelines.
“The mentors were so helpful. They were very polite and nice and taught us a lot,” freshman Tirth Shah said. “From teaching me about the Mustang spirit and chants to fixing my four-year plan and advice on what clubs to join.”
The connections often go beyond the planned activities, creating a sense of comfort and familiarity that makes advice easier to absorb.
“Yes, because my friend was my mentor,” freshman Kailyn Leong said. “It made it easier to talk to them and ask questions because they’re my friend, and I feel a little more comfortable with that. She told me a lot of advice that was part of the meeting but also a lot of outside information that I found helped me a lot.”
Even those who began the year nervous about the leap from middle school found the program reassuring.
“The Pony Up program really helped ease my stress and worries,” said freshman Tyler Tran. “I heard many horror stories about how stressful and overwhelming high school was with all the classes and activities. But this program helped me see that high school isn’t as horrifying as I thought it was going to be. I learned a lot from the meetings that helped my transition from middle school to high school.”
Beyond easing nerves, the meetings provide opportunities to build confidence and make new friends.
“The meetings are really fun. Everyone is so nice,” Shah said. “I got to talk to new people and overall it made me more comfortable about socializing with others within the school, no matter what grade level they’re in.”
Behind those baby blue shirts are upperclassmen who remember exactly what it felt like to be a nervous freshman and are eager to give back.
“I became a Pony Up mentor because during my freshman year. I had amazing mentors that really helped my transition to this school,” junior Meera Radhakrishna said. “And now I want to do the same. I want to help the new Mustangs adjust and learn to love our wonderful school.”
From easing first-day jitters to building lasting friendships, Pony Up proves that sometimes the best way to step into high school is with a mentor by your side and a Mustang chant in your heart.
