Ernesto's story demonstrates what's possible with a caring mentor and an organization there to support both mentor and student. Ernie was one of our mentees in the HBO Mentoring Program operated in partnership with Youth Mentoring Connection and A Place Called Home.

Chronology of a Turn-Around

In many ways Ernesto is a typical kid from urban Los Angeles. He has had a rough life, and his future was uncertain. Like many kids from his neighborhood, he was slipping away from the system before graduating high school. In November his teacher wrote:

"Ernesto is very close to meeting the requirements of his high school diploma [but we were losing him]. He must make every effort to meet the school's minimum standards... He has received many verbal and written reminders and warnings of this."

In March Ernie's teacher writes:

"He is capable of finishing school quickly, two courses needed to graduate."

In April, a very excited Ernie writes in an e-mail to his mentor:

"I took the GED pretest and guess what my score was????????? I got a 62 on my writing and a 61 on social studies! cool huh! they said my scores were off the charts!!!!!"

After graduating Ernesto decided to see some of our great country. He spent the summer making his way from state to state, all the while writing to his mentor. He took with him his mentor's copy of the book, "David Copperfield". In one letter he tells his mentor that one thing that really stayed with him was the quote:

"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today"

There are hundreds of stories like Ernie's, but there are thousands more kids that we haven't reached yet. To find out more about what we're doing and how you can help, please call or e-mail us.