What Mentees say

“My mentor helped me in school and how to achieve my goals. He taught me that some people might think you are not going to make it in life, but you can prove them wrong by staying in school and always doing your best.”

“I like my mentor because she’s kind and she helps me with a lot of things that I can’t really handle a lot and she cheers me up when I probably not like having a bad day or I don’t have friends.”

“I just wanted to say that you’re one of the smartest and most thoughtful people that I’ve ever met.”

“My mentor has done so much for me and I don’t know where I would be without her. Now I have a 3.83 GPA (one B in Math, we’re still working on that one). It seems like now things are really starting to come together. I’m not nearly as confused as I was before. I’m well on my way to being the first person in
my family to graduate from college.”

“You’re really nice. You’re really fun and you cheer me up and you help me do the homework.”

“I think it is important for students to learn how to communicate with people outside the classroom. Through Mentoring, I have a better understanding of what a career in the engineering field might be like; as opposed to last year when I thought it focused mainly on mechanics.”

“This experience with the mentoring program has been a great asset to my school and personal life. Ever since we started together, my mentor has been there for me, checking up on me and everything. And I really appreciate everything he does for me.”

What Families say

“HE IS A WOW FACTOR IN OUR LIFE. John has gone above and beyond! Christopher is my nephew/son, and I really needed a man in his life. John came into our life at a perfect time, when Chris was 15. At our first meeting with John, I was skeptical, with his being an older, Caucasian man with no children,John takes Chris on outings, he talks to Chris about his future education, he counsels Chris on his finances, John takes Chris in the morn to catch up on personal things: they share all things with each other. Chris loves and trusts John, and so do I. John cares a lot about Chris and his future: he has assisted Chris in his College classes, his work, life, women and even the problems mothers have with their sons. We couldn’t be luckier!”

What Mentors say

“When my mentee and I started out, I was right out of college, and she was just turning ten. She became part of the family in general, so we stayed together for many years. Then we lost touch. Later she actually came looking for me and found me about three weeks before her wedding. It was unbelievable that I had that kind of effect on her ant that is was so important to her for me to be at her wedding. I know what the message was to me: Thank you, you were there when I needed you most.“

“She was able to finish high school on time. She is extremely intelligent and so it was easy for her to do well in school. I just needed to reinforce how much her graduating meant to me and how important her high school diploma and college degree would be for her. My mentee and I have/had such an amazing bond. I never knew how influential I would/could be in her life and vice versa.”

“Maria recently won a college scholarship from the [local] City Lion’s Club, after submitting an application we worked on for several hours together. She will graduate from high school this year (the first in her family!) after only two years of very hard work, going to school day and night and working part-time to cover expenses. Her dedication to both improving herself and providing for her child are extraordinary, and she’s very resourceful. Maria is already an amazing success story, and her perseverance and intelligence will ensure she remains one. Her social worker tells me that having an adult show her respect and offer guidance has really made a difference in Maria’s life. I know she has blessed mine immeasurably, partly because she serves as a reminder of how fortunate I have been with opportunities I tend to take for granted. She also gives me faith in today’s youth. Mentor relationships are the best, and I recommend them to everyone!”

“Mentoring allowed me the opportunity to share my experience with a young individual and revisit some of the issues of growing up. I recalled when I was a teenager and how I yearned for a stable adult role model in my life, someone who wasn’t a fictional character but as tangible as the ground I walked on. Being a mentor is challenging and yes at times work, but it is also highly rewarding and fun.”

“We were shopping, and my mentee announced to me that she made the Honor Roll at school for the first time—and the Dean’s List! She had earned a GPA of 3.50. She tried to play it down at first, but she was very excited, and the rest of the afternoon, at random moments, we’d shout ‘Three-Five-Oh!’”

Success Story

Shawna lived in a single parent home with four siblings. When she was a junior in high school, her future looked bleak. She was failing in several classes, and felt destined to follow in the footsteps of her siblings by dropping out and joining a gang. In an attempt to salvage some of her hopes and dreams, she volunteered for the mentor program. Shawna and her mentor Liya became friends quickly and decided to focus their energy at improving Shawna’s grades. After a couple of months Shawna’s grades were not improving, so Liya visited Shawna’s home to find that she lacked a quiet and personal place to study and do her homework. Liya invited Shawna to come to her office after school where she could study and get the occasional helping hand. Over the next months, Shawna’s grades improved dramatically. Liya’s colleagues liked having Shawna around so much that they offered her a part-time job. With Liya’s support, Shawna graduated, went to college, graduate school and moved to New York City where she started her own youth services organization.