Step 1-2-3 Mentor For Life Intiative

Every student has a right to a life-long mentor that encourages them to be excellent in the classroom and in the business arena. More importantly, many students receive mentoring through well-meaning programs that often leave students well-positioned for a short period of time. However, when these students progress through high school, that support often disappears. By college, finding a quality mentor that one can consistently rely on to encourage him or her academically, personally, and career wise dissipates. “We’ve found that when at least one member of a team has traits in common with the end user, the entire team better understands that user. A team with a member who shares a client’s ethnicity is 152% likelier than another team to understand that client.” We are encouraging dialogue to occur based on more students seeing consistent community service. DePaul University states in their Community Services Studies department that,“Community service is an integral part of life for many Americans. Engaging in service to communities raises complex issues that go beyond acts of service to deeper questions about social inequality and equity. Community Service Studies (CSS) connects students to issues of social justice and how we as a society address disparities based on race, class, language, socioeconomic standing and cultural sensitivity. The minor engages students directly with the question of how privilege pervades most activities we associate with community service.” More importantly, community service is more than just a line on resume or time served. It is the meaningful intervention by our community members in actively attacking pervasive and systemic issues in ways that will counteract past effects. It is our responsibility to be what makes leaders consistent: mentors who “make time” for their mentees in their lives. It was of great benefit to me to have mentors who dropped what they were doing because I needed help, encouragement, or guiding tools to take the risky next steps in my developmental process. When Step 1-2-3 Mentor for Life Initiative chooses its mentors, it distinguishes from well-meaning individuals to find and identify consistent and reliable adults and young adults who are focused on intentionally achieving their dreams. Step 1-2-3 Mentor for Life Initiative, a non-profit mentoring program, provides business life skills and encouragement in academics and extracurricular areas students. We have a view of enabling them to be influencers and mentors in their surrounding school environments. A centerpiece of the program is a cadre of carefully selected mentors, who have been trained on the commitment to this organization’s mission, background checked by the local school system, and performs consistently and reliably. Our program differs from the usual teacher aide or community oriented big brother or big sister organization. It focuses on increasing academic achievement for students and developing skills and values employers seeks from future leaders. These skills are taught by qualified adults committed to life-long relationships to life-long relationships with K-12 students and college students. Each of our board members participates in the program as well.“As Iron Sharpens Iron, so a Friend Sharpens a Friend,” Proverbs 27:17 is our mission statement. We are a comprehensive mentoring program. Step 1-2-3 Mentor for Life Initiative is designed to provide training in daily life skills. We help establish goals, encourage extracurricular activities as well as academic excellence, and teach students how to be mentors to their peers. Through a collaborative efforts with community leaders, local school systems, supporters, and volunteers, students may participate in this mentor for life program. It will be implemented at local schools. We plan to hold monthly informal luncheons at our K-12 programs which will serve as a recruiting tool for new potential mentees. We aim to create a field trip to foster business and life skills along with academic connections. Within our K-12 mentor programs, we will provide academic assistance through our mentors. In our college programs, we will help provide encouragement and academic/extracurricular steering to help mentees excel.