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Why Youth Mentoring Connection?
School Site Mentoring: GEAR UP

    

Mentors: Community Volunteers

Mentees: Jefferson Leadership Academies, Alexander Hamilton Middle School, John Marshall Middle School

Other Program Partners: Long Beach Unified School District, Cal State Long Beach, AVID Center, Camp Fire Boys and Girls, Foundation for Maritime Excellence, Long Beach Education Partnership, Parent Institute for Quality Education, Nancy Gray (External Evaluator)

Overview: Middle School Students from three schools in Long Beach were mentored at their school site. These sessions were a combination of one-on-one meetings between mentee and mentor, group projects, and Life Skills Workshops conducted by YMC staff. This program had an academic theme. GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

The program's goal was to work with kids starting in middle school and stay with them to their senior year in high school to improve the odds of this underserved population getting into college. The schools were chosen based on their high percentage of Title I students (students who qualify for free meals due to economic hardship).

In addition to the group sessions, special group outings (bowling, ball games, plays, etc.) were organized by School District and YMC staff. Finally, mentors spend quality time with their mentees in the community.


Measurements: Student Grades and Attendance, Student Surveys, Mentor Retention and Program Growth

 



Mentee Survey

Improved

Not Changed

Become Worse

 

Improved a Lot

6

5

Not Changed

3

2

Much Worse

N/A

Avg

My relationship with my parents has:

10

3

1

2

0

0

0

1

6.31

My relationships with teachers have:

6

2

3

4

0

0

0

2

5.67

My ability to control my anger has:

11

1

1

2

0

0

0

2

6.40

My ability to positively react to difficulties I confront in life has:

10

3

1

3

0

0

0

0

6.18

My attendance at school has:

11

1

0

2

0

0

0

3

6.50

My grades overall have:

7

4

1

2

0

0

0

1

6.14

My self-esteem has:

12

2

0

3

0

0

0

0

6.35

My outlook in my future has:

15

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

6365

My ability to ask for help from others has:

5

6

2

4

0

0

0

0

5.71

My ability to get along with people of other cultures or ethnicities has:

12

1

2

2

0

0

0

0

6.35

The likelihood of my not using threats or violence has:

6

5

1

4

0

0

0

1

5.81

My ability to express my feelings has:

10

2

3

2

0

0

0

0

6.18

My communication skills have:

11

2

1

3

0

0

0

0

6.24

My confidence to present myself to the outside world has:

11

4

0

2

0

0

0

0

6.41

My ability to come up with solutions to problems has:

11

0

3

2

1

0

0

0

6.06

My ability to carry out solutions to problems has:

12

2

0

2

0

1

0

0

6.24

The likelihood of my not using drugs has:

11

0

1

3

0

0

0

2

6.27

The likeliness that I will attend college has:

14

1

0

2

0

0

0

0

6.59

Totals

185

39

19

46

1

1

0

12

5.60

 
 
 
 
   
   
Our Kids Are In Trouble
Today, there are more than 14 million youth under 18 who are "at risk".

   
They're Crying Out For Help
America's youth, desperate for guidance, are discovering mentoring.

   
Mentors Are The Answer
A small time committment can have a big impact on a kid's life.

 
 
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