Fifth grade student, Summer Bridges (left), and High school student, Victoria Spitler, talk about their favorite subject, science.
A common trait among youth in today’s society is the desire to have someone to relate to while growing up. Recognized for the MATCH (Mentoring Activities Taught By Children’s Heroes) Program, the Douglas County School System focuses on improving academic achievement through high-quality mentoring relationships with the help of Communities In Schools (CIS) of Douglas County. This collaborative effort has resulted in 80% of participants being promoted to the next level. Wanting to attain similar results, the counseling department at Bill Arp Elementary School is using the initiative to jumpstart their mentoring program with a lasting impact.
First-year school counselor Kelli Fain partnered with Mitzi Teal, Executive Director of CIS of Douglas County, and Julie Jeffcoat, Work-Based Learning Coordinator at Alexander High School to spearhead the project. This leadership team contacted neighboring high school students to assist. Alexander’s freshman mentoring program was used as a model to implement a similar peer-to-peer relationship within Bill Arp. After training the same high school mentors and others from various reading awareness events, the educational campaign has been moving along steadily since September with both 15-20 mentors and mentees meeting on Wednesday mornings. When asked how mentees and mentors are paired together, Fain stated, “If I know the personalities of a mentor and mentee will complement each other, I’ll place them together. However, it’s amazing to see how some mentees and mentors bond so well immediately on their own.”
High school student, Victoria Spitler, and 5th grader, Summer Bridges, display the ideal example of a positive mentoring relationship. Spitler and Bridges find common ground as they both consider science as their favorite subject. Spitler, who aims to have her own daycare or summer camp, values being a mentor as she claimed, “I like serving as a role model who will listen to Summer. She needs someone there who she can talk to about anything.” In addition, Bridges agreed, “I like that she listens to me and that she is a girl too.”
Within the program, some groups consist of two mentors along with one mentee, such as 10th grade best friends, Sederia Ford and Kaylah Holmes, who connected with fourth grader, Quay Livingston. Ford implied, “The fact that I can help change someone’s life means the most to me.” Aligning with the purpose of such a program, Ford and Holmes appreciate how they play a pivotal role in Livingston’s life. Emphasizing Ford’s belief, Holmes herself declared, “I like to share positive qualities with other people, it’s important to me to be able to help him progress each week.” It’s evident the two mentoring friends promote the right goals as Livingston strongly advocated his aim to finish high school and earn his college degree before playing professional football.
Ultimately, Fain said it best by stating, “It’s a delight to see the kids be so excited to have someone to consistently look up to.” To volunteer as a mentor in your area, visit the CIS of Georgia local affiliate listing to find an affiliate near you.