Mentoring Programs for Kids Work

Did you know there are now about 1.2 million students in the United States who drop out annually? Statewide, more than 10,000 students in grades 7-12 have dropped out of school in the past year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

A network of nonprofit groups and corporations founded by former Secretary of State Colin Powell called America's Promise Alliance, reports that many of the country's largest cities graduate fewer than half of all of their students.

The National Center for Education Statistics defines a dropout as a student who: was enrolled in school at some time during the previous school year and was not enrolled on Oct. 1 of the current school year, or was not enrolled on Oct. 1 of the previous school year although expected to be in membership (i.e., was not reported as a dropout the year before), and has not graduated from high school or completed a state or district-approved educational program.

But there is one bit of good news out of this - and that is some communities have developed mentoring programs that are helping. A hat tip to the writers of this blog story in Fredericksburg, for example, where one program has school employees and community members mentor at-risk students in middle and high school. Out of 11 seniors who participated, eight were accepted to college, and the others plan on attending trade schools.

As you know, I am a big advocate of education to eliminate poverty and crime - as eviodenced on my website www.roccobasile.org which was designed to inspire people to take notice of mentoring organizations and promote help. Being on the board of Children of the City has been a truely rewarding experience, because just like the folks in Frederickburg, we too have seen tremendous successes from the mentorship programs.

A great example is Mathew, who is a tutor in Children of the City’s Create Success After School Program. “I teach kids the skills they need to come up with a strategy for learning.”

Creativity is the key to Mathew’s style of mentoring. He combines games, drama, group presentation and listening skills into the lessons. Last semester he staged a reading of Shakespeare’s “A Mid Summer Night’s Dream” to promote public speaking and foster listening skills. He helps boosting his student’s self esteem, and inspires confidence by coaxing them out of their shells.

A major in communications, Matt said, “I was making a documentary in El Salvador when my heart turned toward helping youth.” He moved back to his old neighborhood in Sunset Park Brooklyn and rearranged his work schedule to free up his afternoon so that he could offer his services to Children of the City.