Mentor Round-Up: Recruitment Event

March 1st will be the kick-off to the Mentor Round-Up, a 3-month period of Mentor Recruitment where YOU are the key to it all.

Mission: Have friends, family, co-workers, etc. become a mentor to one of the kids on our waitlist.
Time period: March 1, 2011 to May 31, 2011

Rules for winning $200 to Ruth’s Chris:
One person you’ve recruited who is MATCHED with a mentee = ONE point. Most points before May 31st wins the $200 gift certificate. Simple.
BONUS: If your recruit calls in to the Mission for Mentors Telethon on April 6th b/w 5 & 8 pm, pledges their time, mentions your name, and gets matched before May 31st you get TWO points for that recruit.

We know this isn’t about the yummy food (though it doesn’t hurt); it’s about helping our kids. The more kids we help, the closer we are to reaching our Grant goals. The closer we are to reaching our goals, the more secure our funding is to continue the program and help even more kids. So start spreading the word that we have over 80 kids on our waitlist, and they are all eager to have a mentor. And no, these kids aren’t scary. They’re kids. They want someone to play with them, care about them, help them understand why 6 times 6 is 36, and why “they’re” and “their” mean two totally different things.

We are more than happy to come and give presentations about mentoring at your Workplace, Service Organization, HOA meeting, Sports practice, etc. There are so many people out there who are willing to give their time to a child. Help us find them.

Race to Nowhere: Showing at San Marcos

San Marcos High School is hosting a screening of Race to Nowhere at 7 p.m. this Thursday, March 10.

Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people in all types of communities who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried that students aren’t developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what’s best for their kids, Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: Cheating has become commonplace; students are disengaged; stress-related illness and depression are rampant; and many young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.

Vicki Abeles, a first-time filmmaker, was inspired to make Race to Nowhere out of concern for her children. A mother of three and former Wall Street attorney, Abeles awakened to this crisis as her 12-year-old daughter was being treated for stress-related illness. She saw personally how the pressures were overwhelming not only to her own kids, but to students everywhere — in every kind of school environment and community.
“As a mother, I experienced the stress firsthand and realized that no one was talking about it,” Abeles said. “I saw kids who were anxious, depressed, physically ill, checking out, abusing drugs and, worst case, attempting suicide. I felt compelled to speak out about this crisis by making a film and giving voice to the students, teachers and parents. I wanted to expose a deeper truth about our education system. We are graduating a generation of robo-students, unable to think and work independently, creatively and collaboratively.”

Race to Nowhere is a call to action to challenge assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens. After seeing the film, your views on education and childhood will forever be changed.

“Every once in awhile, a film comes along that has the potential to change the culture,” New York Times bestselling author Rachel Simmons said. “Race to Nowhere shines a light on the crisis of learning and meaning facing American education. The film is both a call to arms and a beacon of hope, a source of relief and outrage and a way forward for all of us.”

~ Josh Baran represents the film Race to Nowhere.

To purchase tickets for you and your mentee, please visit: http://rtnsanmarcos.eventbrite.com/ 
Please save your receipt and submit it to your Case Manager for reimbursement.

February Mentor of the Month

Janet Austin
Janet and her mentee have been together for over a year and have already become good friends. The mentee looks up to Janet in many ways and Janet often treats her mentee like a younger sister. Janet works for a local radio station and there are often promotional items that the station wants to throw away. Instead, Janet has found that she can bring those items to the school for use, rather than see them go to waste. For instance, she had hundreds of blank music sheet notes bound in a cover depicting “The Last Song”. She brought them to the music teacher at Canalino and they were able to use the paper if nothing else.

Beyond this, Janet has devoted her academic time with her mentee to focusing on her math. She dedicates an extra hour every week to sit with her in math class and provide her mentee with the attention she needs to focus and complete her math with a better understanding. She even taught her a new game, the “Guacamole Game” as they’ve dubbed it. It allows her mentee to quickly focus on what number of ingredients are needed to complete the recipe. It makes math fun and Janet’s mentee has become quite good at it. She even challenges her classmates and is confident in her math abilities now! Since they have met, her mentee’s math grades have jumped from “Needs improvement” to “Very Good” and have stayed consistent on that level ever since!

Janet makes sure to mix up the academics with fun, as she is quite a kid at heart herself. They have joined us for several program activities, including the Carpinteria Family Health Event, our trip to see the seal pups at the Seal Watch at the Carpinteria bluffs, our hike benefitting the Daniel Bryant Center, and other events. They also have a journal together that allows them to share their thoughts with one another when they cannot be together. Janet has been an amazing influence in her mentee’s life. Thank you so much Janet for all that you do!!

January Mentor of the Month

Ben Williams
Ben and his mentee have been together for a little over a year, and in that short time there has been tremendous growth. Before being referred to the Mentor Program, Ben’s mentee did not always get the support he needed to thrive in school and in life. From the moment they met, they both understood that they were being matched to help improve the mentee’s academics and life skills.

Ben continues to motivate his mentee to read (a huge feat as many of you know) and created fun games to develop study skills thereby improving his language arts & math skills tremendously. They even compete at chess now! 

Furthermore, Ben has stayed by his mentee’s side during the transition from elementary to junior high, a time that brings up sensitive and important issues like drugs and alcohol. Ben isn’t scared to have open and upfront conversations about this because he understands the importance of talking early. Their relationship continues to grow stronger with every meeting. Ben, your mentee is fortunate to have such an amazing mentor, and we are grateful for all that you do.

Things to Keep in Mind...

When you are considering your New Year's resolutions, it might be helpful to think about your mentee. This can be a fun activity: create your New Years resolutions together. Pick a few that you can each support each other in and get going! 

Along those lines, I read this article this morning, and though it was geared towards parents, I think that many of the points made are applicable to you as mentors. It's taken and adapted from Family Circle magazine. They look like common sense, but they can be difficult at times. Just do your best, that is all we can ask for.

• I will always care for my mentee for who they are — not who I want them to be.
• I will give my mentee space to grow, to dream, to succeed and even to fail. Without that space, no growth can occur.
• When discipline is necessary, I will let my mentee know that I disapprove of what they have done, not who they are. It’s a very important distinction.
• I will set limits and help my mentee find security in the knowledge of what is expected of them. They will not have to guess what is right or wrong.
• I will not burden my mentee with emotions and problems they are not equipped to deal with.
• I will encourage my mentee to experience the world and all of its possibilities, taking pains to leave them careful but not fearful.
• I will try to be the kind of person I want my mentee to be: loving, fair-minded, giving and hopeful.

Many happy, warm wishes to you and your families this winter. Let the rain be a reminder of renewal and refreshment as we journey into the new year.

Thank you for being wonderful mentors. With love from all of us here in the Mentor Program.

December Mentor of the Month

Jack Grabman
Jack and his mentee have shared many experiences together over the past 2 1/2 years. One of their favorite activities is fishing, which provides a chance for Jack to have good conversation with his mentee. They also go on bike rides, to car shows, and numerous Mentor program activities. Jack is always looking out for his mentee's best interest, encouraging him to do well in school and explore career options. He's taken him to his workplace and engaged him in learning new musical instruments.

Jack's mentee was unfocused, had low self-esteem, and was on the shy side when he was referred by his teacher. Now, he is well known at his school, has a desire to succeed, and has found confidence in his abilities. Jack has developed a friendship with his mentee's entire family and is always engaged in helping make sure his mentee continues in the right direction. Jack, thank you for always being by his side and supporting him every step of the way, even when times are rough and the future unsure. You are wonderful!!

November Mentor of the Month

Lisa Gosdschan
Although Lisa and her mentee have only been together a year, it seems like they have become family. Her mentee was referred to us because she needed guidance, direction, a healthy purpose in life. Lisa devotes several hours each day to making sure her mentee arrives at school on time, has food, clothing without holes, and has her hair combed and is ready to face the day. Lisa provides the support, care, and attention that every child dreams about.

Lisa not only meets with her mentee's teachers to check in about extra assignments that they can do together, she volunteers in the classroom and with the United Boys & Girls Club. She has opened up the eyes of her mentee by taking her to volunteer to help those even less fortunate. Together, they prepare meals and organize supplies. Lisa teaches her mentee valuable lessons every time they meet, whether that is to help her in the classroom or in the real world. She spends no less than 20 hours a month with her, but we know you can't place a number on their relationship.

Furthermore, Lisa helps us with almost every family event, comes into the office to help the staff, and is a great sounding board for idea development. Lisa, thank you for all of your contributions to this program, especially to your mentee's life. You go above and beyond.