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Outreach - Education: Mentoring |
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Mentoring Dateline: October 27, 2009: Current Call for Volunteer Mentors for the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 Semesters.
If you are interested in
mentoring a junior high school student, this is your opportunity! Spring Branch
ISD will be hosting a brief informational/training session
for potential mentors. The
schedule and details are shown below.
Please take a minute to read about two mentors' experiences by clicking here. If you are interested in mentoring, but would have trouble getting out to Spring Oaks Middle School on a weekly basis, please let me know. The program is expanding to Alief ISD and Houston ISD, so there is the possibility of locating a school closer to your location. Dear Fellow Alums:
Happy New Year! Were you interested in
being a mentor last year, but did not get around to doing it? Well, now
is your chance to get involved. Jumpstart a child's life! Share just
30 minutes weekly with a Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD)
student "on the brink of success" as a MIT Alumni Club SpringBoard
Mentor. Being a mentor is easy and there are hundreds of students from
under-represented sectors of our community who've asked to have a
mentor. They're waiting patiently for an adult like you to make a
difference in their lives.
A mentor is a caring adult who understands the "power of an hour" to make a difference in the life of a child. Each mentor is matched with a student and serves as an advocate, advisor, role model and, most importantly, a trusted friend. Mentors spend time weekly with their "mentee" during the school day – playing cards, shooting hoops, talking about careers and college, helping with goal setting, sharing a craft or just having fun enjoying each other's company. Mentors have the option to visit their student any day of the week, typically before school, during lunch or advisory period, or after school. A dedicated email addresses and excellent campus coordination and communication assure that your student can hear from you even if you are out of town! SBISD's national award winning program design assures that all mentors receive effective, ongoing training and support. Why is this all important? SBISD students with mentors are more interested in school, have better peer relationships and show improved discipline, attendance and focus on their futures. Not only are kids' lives at stake, but at the present rate, Texas is on track to become a less-educated, less prosperous state. Our state's higher education participation rate is lower than a decade ago and amongst the lowest in the US. If we do not reverse these trends, our state demographer projects a loss of $30 - $50 billion in annual Texas household income by 2030. The schools need our help!
Let's join the ranks of other prestigious
organizations such as the Notre Dame Alumni Club, Chase Bank, Foleys,
AMEC Paragon Engineering, Petrobras USA, local faith based communities
and others who care about our kids – after all, they are our future!
Please take a minute to
read about two mentors' experiences by clicking
here.
If you are interested in mentoring, but would have trouble getting out to Spring Oaks Middle School on a weekly basis, please let me know. The program is expanding to Alief ISD and Houston ISD, so there is the possibility of locating a school closer to your location.
For more information, please
contact
Tarik Ward
at
mentor @ mithouston.org .
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